I LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. I 

!|H--^-fc^^^ I 

I UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, f 



FAEM-aARDElSTI^a 

AND 

SEED-GROWING. 



■yr^o 



FRANCIS BRILL, 

V 
OF THE MATTITtrCK (L. I.) SEED-FAEM, FOEMEBLY MAKKET-GARDEKEE 
AND SEED-GEOWER AT NEWARK, N. J. 



NEW TORE: 
^ORANGE JUDD AND COMPANY, 

245 BROADWAY. 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1872, by 

ORANGE JUDD & CO., 
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



<i^ 



^^ 



IltSTDEX:. 



Asparagus 

" Cutting and Bunching. . . 

" Growinof for Family Use. 

" Growing Plants 

" Planting and Cultivating 

" Preparation and Soil for. 

" Raising Seed of 

" Varieties of 

Beans, Bush or D warf 

" Planting and Cultivating.. . 

" Pole or Running 

" Preparing for Market 

" liaising ^Seed 

" Soil and Preparation for. . . 
Varieties of 



Beets. 



Gathering and Storing 

Prepariiiir for Market 

Raising Seed 

Soil arid Preparation for. ..... 

Sowing and Cultivating . . 

Varieties of 

Broccoli 

Buildings 

Cabbages, Early 

"■ Cuttinr^ and Marketing.. 
" Planting and Cultivating 

" Raising Seed 

" Soil and Prep aration for. 
" Sowiiia: Seed and Grow- 
ing Plants 

" Varieties 

Cabbages, Late 

" Cutting and Marketing.. 
" Planting and Cultivating. 

" Raising Seed 

" Soil and Preparation 

" Sowing Seed and Grow- 
ing Plants 

" Storing for Winter 

" Varieties 

Cabbage, Turnip- Rooted 

Carrots 

" Gathering and Storing 

" Preparing for Market 

" Raising Seed 

" Soil and Preparation 

" Sowing and Cultivating 

" Varieties of... 

Cauliflower 

" Marketing 

" Raising Seed 

" Soil and Preparation for. 
" Varieties 



Celery 79 

" Planting and Cultivating 80 

" Preparing for Market 82 

" Raising Seed 84 

" Soil and Preparation 79 

" Sowing Seed and Growing 

Plants 80 

" Storing for Market 84 

" Varieties of 85 

Cold-Franios 22 

Conclusion 149 

Corn 86 

'' Marketing 87 

" Raising Seed 88 

" Soil and Preparation for 86 

" Varieties of. 88 

Cucumbers 89 

" Marketing 91 

" Raising Seed 92 

" Planting and Cultivating 89 

"• Varieties of . 93 

Egg-Plants 94 

" Cutting for Market 97 

" Raisintr Seed 97 

" Soil, Planting and Culti- 
vation 96 

" Sowing Seed and Grow- 
ing Plants 94 

" Varieties of, 99 

Forcing-Pit .. 27 

Gardening, Farm 8 

" Market 7 

General Management 149 

Herbs 100 

Horseradish 102 

" Gathering and Storing. 104 
" Planting and Cultiva- 
tion of 103 

'' Preparing for Market . . 104 

" Soil and Preparation 

for 103 

Hot-Bede 25 

Implements, Cultivator 29 

Dibble 31 

Forks 32 

" Garden-Line 30 

" Harrow 28 

Hoe 29 

" Markers 30 

Plow 28 

" Rake 30 

" Shears 32 

Spade 29 

Trowel 32 



3 



IV 



INDEX. 



Insects 19 

Introduction 5 

Kale 105 

Kohl-Rabi 12 

Leeks 106 

'' Planting and Cultivation of. . 107 

" Preparing for Market 108 

" Soil and Preparation for 107 

" Sowing Seed and Growing 

Plants 107 

" Varieties of 108 

Lettuce 108 

" Forcing 110 

" Marketing Ill 

" Planting and Cultivation . . . 109 

" Raising Seed.. Ill 

" Soil and Preparation for 109 

" Sowing Seed and Growing 

Plants 108 

" Varieties of 112 

Machines, Fan-Mill 34 

" Seed-Sowers 31 

" Wagons 35 

" Wheelbarrows 34 

Manures and Manuring 12 

Mats, Straw '. .. 32 

Melons, Musk 113 

Gathering for Market 114 

" Raising Seed . ..114 

" Soil and Preparation for. . .113 

" Varieties of 114 

Melons, Water 115 

" Gathering for Market 115 

" Raising Seed 116 

" Soil arid Preparation for. . .115 

" Varieties of 116 

Nnmher of Plants or Hills on an 

Acre 151 

Okra 117 

" Cultivation of 118 

" Cutting for Market 118 

" Raising Seed 118 

" Varieties of 118 

Onions 118 

'• Growing Sets 122 

" Preparing for Market 122 

" Raising Seed 123 

" Varieties of 124 

Parsley 125 

"■ Raising Seed 126 

" Varieties of 126 

Parsnips 126 

"• Soil and Preparation for. . .127 

" Varieties of 127 

Peas 128 

" Marketing 129 

" Raising Seed 129 

" Soil and Preparation for 128 

" Sowing and Cultivation 128 

" Varieties of 130 

Peppers 130 

Marketing 131 

" Raising Seed 131 

" Varieties of 131 

Plowing, Fall 38 



Potatoes 131 

Soil, Preparation, and 

Planting . ..132 

" Varieties of 134 

Radishes 134 

" Marketing 135 

'■' Raising Seed 136 

" Soil, Preparation, and 

Sowing 135 

" Varieties of 137 

Rhubarb 137 

" Marketing 138 

" Raising Seed 138 

'' Soil and Planting 137 

" Varieties of 138 

Roots, Storing for Winter. 36 

Sage : 100 

Salsify or Oyster-Plant 138 

" Marketing 138 

" Raising Seed 139 

" Soil and Preparation for 138 

Sashes 33 

Seed Cloths 34 

" Growing 10 

" Harvesting and Cleaning 37 

" Sowing 16 

Shutters 34 

Sieves 34 

Soil and Preparation 11 

Spinach 137 

" Marketing 140 

" Raising Seed 140 

" Soil and Preparation for. . .139 

" Varieties of 140 

Squashes 141 

" Marketing 141 

" Raising Seed 141 

" Soil, Planting, etc., of 141 

" Varieties of. 142 

Summer Savory 101 

Sweet Marjoram 101 

Sweet Potatoes 142 

" " Growing the Plants. 142 

'' " Marketing 143 

" " Soil, Preparation, and 

Phmting 143 

" " Varieties of 144 

Thyme 101 

Tomatoes 144 

'• Growing Plants 144 

" Marketing 145 

" Raising Seed". 145 

" Soil, Preparation, and 

Planting 144 

" Vaiieties of ,145 

Tools and their Uses 28 

Transplanting 17 

Turnips 146 

" Harvesting and Storing 148 

" Marketing 147 

" Raising Seed 148 

" Soil and Preparation 146 

■•' Sowing and Cultivation 147 

" Varieties of 148 

Vegetables and their Seeds 40 



Farm-Gardening and Seed-Growing. 



INTRODUCTION 

A few years since, while residing at Newark, N. J., 
and engaged in market-gardening and seed-growing, the 
idea of writing a book on the latter subject was suggested 
to me by one of the editors of the American Agricul- 
turist. 

I thought the matter over, and finally abandoned the 
idea, from the fact that I did not believe the subject con- 
tained matter enough for a separate volume. Since my 
removal to the eastern part of Long Island — a section, by 
the way, admirably adapted to the production of vegeta- 
bles and seeds — and noticing the interest manifested here 
by the farmers in matters pertaining to gardening, I have 
concluded to write a book on the leading vegetables and 
their seeds. 

The market-gardens about the larger cities, especially 
New York, are being, one by one, cut up for building pur- 
poses, to accommodate the mass of people whose occupa- 
tions are in the city, but who are obliged to find a dwelling- 
place beyond its limits. Hence it would seem that the 
time will soon be when the consumer must depend upon 
the "farm-garden" of remote districts for a supply of 
vegetables of many kinds, and the finer sorts alone, which 
are not transportable, will be the principal articles grown 
near the city. 
5 



6 FAEM-GARDENHNTG AND SEED-GKOWING. 

Even now there are many places where land can be 
bought for the amount of money paid annually for rent by 
many market-gardeners, where the soil is as well adapted, 
naturally, for growing many vegetable crops as any 
can be. 

At the present low prices of produce and the unequal 
price of labor, farmers can no longer depend upon the 
usual crops, and are anxious to turn their ground to good 
account by growing root crops and other vegetables which 
may be transported to market from a distance, and to aid 
such in accomplishing this object is the mission of one part 
of this work. 

The growing of seeds has become an important branch 
of farm industry, and the increasing demand for all leading 
seeds, owing to the constant growth of our country, and 
the accorapanyingly increased interest in horticulture, ren- 
der this business worthy the attention of those having 
land suitable for the purpose. Seed-raising may be con- 
ducted in connection with farm-gardening to good ad- 
vantage, or carried on separately. If, perchance, some of 
my readers may be assisted, by means of the instructions 
given, to establish for themselves or their sons a business 
at once pleasant, healthful, and lucrative, the object of this 
work will have been, attained. 

In preparing the book, I have endeavored to give plain, 
practical directions, in minute detail, for growing vegeta- 
bles and seeds, and have aimed to avoid all superfluous 
matter, which, though it might be interesting to the gen- 
eral reader, would be of no practical benefit to those for 
whom the work is more especially designed. I have 
deemed it advisable to dispense with illustrations, which I 
admit are useful, to a certain extent, in giving to the reader 
a more vivid idea of the form and general appearance of 
the subject under consideration ; but in these days of enter- 
prise, almost every seedsman's catalogue, as well as the 
works on gardening which have preceded this, and the 



MARKET-GARDENING. 7 

agricultural and horticultural journals, contain complete il- 
lustrations of all leading vegetables, implements, etc. A 
repetition of them here would only increase the size of the 
volume without materially adding to its usefulness. 

In giving directions for sowing, planting, etc., the dates 
are for the latitude of New York City, and should be va- 
ried according as the situation is north or south of that 
point. 

MARKET-GARDENING. 

This term as generally used applies to the growing of 
vegetables for market in so-called market-gardens. These 
are usually tracts of land lying adjacent to the larger 
cities, and comprise from five to fifteen acres. It is im- 
portant that the market-gardener should be near to market 
for various reasons. His crops are mostly sold in the 
green state ; many of them, being forced under glass, are 
consequently of a very perishable nature and are easily 
damaged by rough handling ; hence by carting to market 
in wagons, and being handled only by himself, or those in 
his immediate employ, his produce is not subjected to such 
severe treatment as is often given to articles of freight by 
railroad or steamboat employes. Moreover, from the very 
perishable nature of many garden vegetables, they can not 
be long packed in bulk without heating, hence the quicker 
they are sold and consumed after gathering the better. 

Another very important point is the facility for obtain- 
ing manure from the stables in the city, which by their 
system of planting must be used in immense quantities. 
There may be some readers of this book who, having 
land near large villages, where there is generally a good 
market, may desire to pay some attention to this business. 
To such I would say, the manner of sowing, cultivating, 
etc., is very similar to the directions herein given for the 
farm-garden. 



O FARM-GAEDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

For valuable information on market-gardening I would 
respectfully recommend to them " Gardening for Profit," 
a practical work, giving a full expose of the system of 
that business as practised about New York City, and 
written by Peter Henderson, one of the most successful 
gardeners of that vicinity. 

FARM-GARDENING. 

This term may be applied to the growing of garden 
vegetables more remote from market. The farm-gardens 
of the present day are not very far distant from the cities, 
and in them are grown many vegetables which are found 
in the market-garden, but usually the main crops are the 
coarser articles best adapted to transportation, and such as 
do not require excessively heavy manuring. As I re- 
marked in the Introduction, the time must come when the 
production of grain and all farm produce must be left to 
the great West, and all suitable land within a radius of at 
least one hundred miles of our present commercial centers 
will be occupied as farm-gardens in producing vegetables 
for the millions who will be engaged in mercantile and 
mechanical pursuits in the cities, fast spreading over the 
sections now used for the purpose of gardening. I have 
no desire to be prophetic, but if we may judge of the 
future by the past, this view would seem to be well founded. 
This work, so far as it treats on the growing of vegeta- 
bles, is intended principally for those who now or may in 
the future have land distant from the great market 
centers who may desire to change their business. 

While I have scrupulously avoided in every case writing 
anything in regard to the possible or probable amount of 
money to be realized from any crop, I must say that be- 
yond a doubt there are many vegetable crops which may 
be grown far remote from, and shipped to market, that 
will pay much greater profits than ordinary farm produce. 



FAKM-GAKDENING. 9 

What these crops shall be and the amount to be realized 
from them can only be determined by the attending circum- 
stances. The class of men above alluded to, or, in other 
words, those who are now engaged in farming — working 
men — can enter upon this business at much less risk than 
those entirely unskilled in tilling the soil. They can, in 
connection with their regular business, devote an acre or 
two to growing those crops the management of which is 
the least complicated. The additional expense will be for 
manure, some improved tools, and a little extra labor. 
By keeping strict account of expenses and receipts, they 
can calculate nearly the probable amount of money return 
from each crop. 

I would here call attention to the fact that a trial of 
three or four years will be necessary to fully determine 
this matter, because the land at the start can hardly be 
brought to the condition necessary to produce the best re- 
sults, which can only be brought about by thorough 
working and manuring. It also may occur that at one 
season the price of any particular article may be very low, 
and the next exactly the reverse may be the case, so that 
one year's results must be averaged with the other. If 
these experiments prove satisfactory, the area devoted to 
the culture may be increased, and other crops, such as re- 
quire the use of hot-beds and cold-frames, may be added. 

Those who have sons growing up can assist them in 
this way to acquire a knowledge of this kind of farming, 
and as a rale, those who have grown up with the business 
are the most successful followers of it. In most cases, in 
farm-gardening, one half the quantity of manure used by 
market-gardeners will be sufficient to produce the crop, 
especially on new land that is naturally fertile, and where 
land is abundant it will be advisable to select a fresh 
piece occasionally — one that has lain for some time in 
grass — and seed down an equivalent amount of the old 
land. There are many crops which may be grown for 
1* 



10 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

an indefinite number of years on the same land, but as a 
rule, alternating or changing crops occasionally is advis- 
able. It will be well to plant the new ground, for one or 
two years, with such crops as can be worked by plow and 
cultivator, the better to subdue it and prepare it for those 
which require hand cultivation. 

Never sow nor plant more ground than can be posi- 
tively sure to receive proper and timely attention, and 
bear in mind that to the gardener there is no season of 
rest ; wet or dry, hot or cold, there will always be some- 
thing to do, which must be done in its proper time to in- 
sure success. 

SEED-GROWING. 

This business is an extended branch of vegetable- 
growing, for the operations of growing the crop from 
which to produce the seed are the same as when raising 
it for market, except, perhaps, in many instances it is 
not essential to grow the stock so early, and in some cases, 
as with egg-plant, unusual attention is requisite in for- 
warding the plants, to get a season long enough in which 
to mature the seeds. The business of seed-growing, like 
farm gardening, can only be acquired by practice, and 
should not be entered upon very largely at the start. In 
addition to lack of experience, another serious drawback 
to the beginner in seed-growing, is the difficulty in pro- 
curing a market for the seeds when grown. 

The seedsmen of the present day vie with each other in 
procuring and selling the most reliable seeds, for they 
understand full well the importance to the gardener of 
having only such as are fresh and pure, for should he sow 
any other his labor will have been in vain. I must here 
call the attention of those who contemplate farm-garden- 
ing or seed-growing, to the vast importance of obtaining 
and sowing only fresh and pure seeds ; for should they fail 



SOIL AND PREPARATION. 11 

to germinate, the ground will be lost for that crop at 
least, and when the stock is impure the case will be still 
more serious. For instance, if cabbage, lettuce, or any 
crop of this kind, upon which much labor has been ex- 
pended, proves other than what it should be, the result 
must be damaging, if not ruinous. In view of these 
facts, seedsmen are very particular to buy only from 
known and responsible growers ; hence, the new beginner 
must aim to establish a reputation for responsibility. In 
seed-growing, great care must be taken to keep far apart 
such as will mix by the blossom, and it is advisable not to 
grow seeds in many varieties of any one class of vege- 
table. It is further of great importance always to save 
" stock seed " from the very best of whatever khid, and 
in saving the main crop to select only perfect specimens. 

In describing the varieties of the different kinds of 
vegetables, I have noticed only such as are the most 
popular about New York, and the descriptions are mahily 
to aid in making selections for seed. For a complete list 
of varieties and descriptions in minute detail of almost 
every known vegetable, the reader is referred to a book 
entitled " Vegetables of America," by Fearing Burr, Jr., 
the most complete work of its class ever published in this 
country. 

SOIL AND PREPARATION. 

The soil for growing vegetables and seeds should be as 
near as possible a deep loam ; it may be more or less 
sandy, but avoid clay, or anything heavier than a clay 
loam. It should have a free but not too porous subsoil, 
and if not dry, should be made so by draining. Here I 
would say, if possible, select a soil that is naturally dry, 
or, in other words, that which will not retain the surface 
water. 

It is quite as important that the subsoil be such as to 



12 FARM-GAEDEXING AND SEED-GEOWING. 

allow the moisture to ascend in dry weather, as to descend 
in wet weather, and while draining may assist the latter, 
it can never fully accomplish the former ; hence, the pre- 
ference for natural to made land. The preparations 
should be made, so far as possible, in the fall. The 
ground should be plowed, thoroughly harrowed, and 
smoothed off with the back of the harrow, where early 
planting is to be done, as the water passes away easier 
from an even surface, and the soil is sooner dry in the 
spring, but such land as is intended for later crops may 
be left without harrowing. Fallow ground should be 
taken for sowing seeds on, but sward land may be used 
for such crops as are to be worked with the cultivator, 
provided it can be plowed in August, and again plowed 
and thoroughly harrowed late in the fall. Land lying 
nearly level with a southern aspect is to be preferred. 
The beds may be laid out of any size, but should not be 
short, or too much time will be consumed in turning 
while plowing. A convenient size is ten yards wide and 
one hundred and twenty yards long, containing very 
nearly one quarter of an acre. A narrow headland should 
be left at each end, for driving on and for turning when 
plowing. If pains are taken to lay out the lands straight 
in the start, they may always be kept so with very little 
trouble. 

MANURES AND MANURING. 

Without fertilizers to enrich the soil, all attempts to 
grow vegetables or seeds will be in vain ; in fact, liberal 
manuring and careful attention to growing crops are the 
two most essential points in the business. 

Stable manure has always been considered the best, and 
is now the standard fertilizer with market-gardeners, al- 
though others are used to some extent. Farmers who 
have been in the habit of using from ten to twenty loads 



majstures and manuring. 13 

of coarse barn-yard manure to the acre, will be astonislied 
when told that market-gai-deners use four tmies the last- 
named amount, or more, of well-rotted stable manure, 
every year. 

In fact, they put on as much as can be conveniently turned 
under, with the assistance of two men, following the 
plow and scraping it into the furrows. Of concentrated 
manures they apply more than double the quantity used 
for farm crops; of bone-dust one ton, Peruvian guano one 
half a ton to the acre, and so on. 

This heavy manuring is necessary, as they plant very 
close, raise two crops a year, and take an immense amount 
of produce from the land. 

In farm-gardening or seed-growing, where the crop is 
generally planted wide, and there is an abundance of land 
to allow of a portion being seeded down at times and al- 
lowed to rest, one half the above-named quantities of 
manure will suffice. 

It is always advisable to use stable manure mainly^ 
when it can be obtained, and in following the directions 
herein given for manuring the various crops, bear in mind 
that I always have reference to such as is obtained from 
cities, when speaking of stable-manure. This is nearly 
free from straw, and, load for load, is worth double such 
as is usually made in barn-yards, and composed largely of 
straw, stalks, etc. This city manure is bulky, and when 
freighted by railroad, as it is to a great extent on Long 
Island, the first cost is high, but I am fully satisfied that, 
to a certain extent, it is the cheapest in the end. 

Next tothis, ^wr6 ground bone, when applied in proper 
quantity, is preferable. This is very rich in fertilizing 
properties, and maybe used on alternate years with stable 
manure to good advantage. 

The soil for vegetable-growing requires to be mealy 
and free from lumps, and it can be kept so by means of 
the decaying vegetable matter contained in stable-manure. 



14 FAKM-GARDENING AND SEED-liROWING. 

But SO far as fertilizing properties go, I am not sure but 
pure fine bone is much cheaper than coarse manure. In 
sections whereprime stable-manure can not be obtained, I 
would advise liberal applications of bone in connection 
with green crops plowed under ; the former as a fertilizer, 
and the latter to keep the soil in good working condition. 
Ground bone is now made of various grades, generally- 
designated as bone-dust, bone-meal, and bone-flour. The 
former is the best for permanent crops, such as asparagus, 
rhubarb, etc., and for seeding down to grass for renewing 
the land; the second is suited to crops sown in the fall, 
such as spinach, etc., but in either case, unless the ground 
is sufliciently rich to give the plants a start, bone-flour or 
guano must be used, in connection with the bone dust or 
meal. Bone-flour is very fine, and acts quickly, nearly as 
much so as guano, and hence is preferable for crops which 
mature the same season they are sown or planted. There 
is much adulterated bone sold at the present day, and 
those who have used this kind have become discouraged, 
and say that bone is of no value. 

There are, however, some conscientious men engaged in 
this business, and among them are Lister Brothei's, of 
Newark, N. J. It may seem out of place here to insert 
anything that may se^m like an advertisement, but as I 
always use the bone ground by the above firm, and from 
a long and intimate acquaintance with them, and frequent 
visits to their factory while I resided near it, I can recom- 
mend their productions as pure and reliable, and I deem 
it just to the patrons of this work to inform them where 
they can obtain a pure article in this line. There is one 
thing about bone which many do not seem to compre- 
hend. Let it be never so fine it does not impart all its 
fertilizing properties at once, hence liberal applications 
must be made, and the most soluble parts will act on the 
present crop, while the balance will benefit the future 
ones. 



MANURES AND MANURING. 15 

Peruvian guano is a powerful fertilizer, but requires to 
be eveiily distributed to prevent tlie growing plants from 
coming in contact with any considerable portion of it, as 
it is apt to be injurious to the young roots when they are 
brought in sudden contact with it. 

Fish are used largely for manure at the eastern part of 
Long Island and along the coast generally, and make a 
valuable fertilizer. An excellent compost can be made 
by mixing muck and fish, one small load of the former 
to one thousand of the latter, and afterwards working the 
whole over with an equal bulk of stable manure. " Fish 
guano," that is, the " scraps," flesh, and bones of fish 
from which the oil has been extracted, is also a valuable 
fertilizer. Wood-ashes possess valuable fertilizing proper- 
ties, and are very beneficial in preventing the ravages of 
worms which attack plants at the roots. There are few 
or none of the many compound manures which possess 
any real value for gardening purposes. 

Green manures possess great fertilizing and renovating 
properties, and there is nothing better for land than a 
crop of clover plowed under. Buckwheat, corn, oats, 
etc., etc., may be used for this purj^ose to advantage, but 
clover is far the best, as the foliage not only enriches, but 
the roots permeate and loosen the soil. 

It is always preferable to apply manures of whatever 
kind broadcast, but when this is not practicable, and 
"manuring in the hills" has to be resorted to, if 
stable manure is used, let it be well rotted, and when ap- 
plied, thoroughly mixed with the soil, the better to retain 
moisture. 

A mixture of fish or fish scrap, muck, and rotted manure, 
makes an excellent compost for manuring in the hill. The 
term " hill " as herein used should not be deemed to im- 
ply that the ground must be raised, which would be in- 
jurious, except in case of sweet-potatoes, w^atermelons, 
and such plants as require a very dry soil. The term is 



IG FAli:.I-GARDENING AXD SEED-GROWING. 

a very common one, and serves to distinguish between 
manuring broadcast, or at specified distances. Some 
spread the manure broadcast over the land in the fall 
and winter ; this plan, however, is practised mainly by 
farmers, and is seldom resorted to by gardeners, who pre- 
fer to cart out the manure the latter part of winter, place 
it in large heaps near the point where it is to be used, and 
cart on the land and spread it, immediately before 
plowing. 

SOWING SEEDS. 

The proper distribution of seed in sowing is quite im- 
portant, and there are few who can do it just right. 
Happily, machines have been invented for the purpose, 
and many of them do the work more evenly than it can 
possibly be done by hand. Some seeds, from their peculiar 
formation, have to be sown by hand. It is a very difficult 
matter to give directions for sowing seeds, and to say- 
how much is required to the acre. Much depends upon 
the season, and also upon the freshness of the seed, and 
even seed known to be new may be partly deficient in 
germinating properties. 

The best rule is, when sowing in rows, to be governed 
by the character of the seed and relative strength of the 
young plants — for instance, carrot, parsnip, and some 
others have light seed, and the young plants are feeble. 
Such should be sown thickly, and afterward be thinned 
out, as directed under each separate head. 

Others — plants such as cucumbers, melons, etc. — are 
liable to be attacked by bugs, and it is well to make 
some allowance on this account. Most heavy seeds can 
be sown thin, especially if broadcast, the chances being 
that they will be too thick, especially if sown by inexpe- 
rienced hands. Take, for instance, the seed of flat tur- 
nip, one pound of which, in measure but little more 



TRANSPLANTING. 17 

than a pint, will sow an acre of land, but it requires a 
very nice calculation to get the seed evenly distributed 
and make such a small quantity cover so much ground. 

Seeds sown by machine may be regulated by sowing 
first on a cloth or floor, and setting the gauge to the 
l^roper grade. Some seeds are variable in size ; such 
should be divided by sifting, and, if sown by machine, 
put in separately. It is advisable, if possible, to always 
sow as soon as the ground is prepared, while the surface 
soil is still fresh and moist, and when covered by raking, 
always draw the rake lengthwise with the rows. Yery 
fine seed must not be covered too deep. Directions on 
this point are given under each separate head. 

TRANSPLANTING. 

This is a very important operation, and but few under- 
stand it properly. As a rule, a plant when set out should 
be so firmly fastened that upon taking the point of a leaf 
between the thumb and forefinger it will break away be- 
fore the plant can be pulled out. Even this test may be 
withstood and the plant still die, from the fact that it is 
improperly planted. It is often the case that a mass of 
earth is pressed against the stalk at the surface, while the 
root is left so loose that it can not get established at once, 
and the plant dies, or lingers along until perchance there 
comes a rain to wash the earth about the root, when it 
starts feebly, and at maturity can not be what it might 
have been had not its growth been materially cliecked at 
the start. With the dibble make a hole larger than the 
root, that the fibers may be in a natural position ; put in 
the plant to the first leaves, or as deep as 2:>ossible without 
covering the heart. Holding the plant with the left hand, 
pass the point of the dibble down, close to the plant^ car- 
rying with it a little soil, which press firmly against the 
root^ and knock loose soil into the hole left by the dibble. 



18 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

Soil pressed against tlie stalk near the surface has a 
tendency to prevent the earth from washing down and 
settling about the root, and can not j^ossibly be of anywise. 

The operation of transplanting should always be done, 
if in spring or autumn, while the earth is fresh, as plant- 
ing in dry soil is very tedious, the holes filling as fast as 
made. For summer transplanting it is best to prepare 
and mark out the land in good season. When the rain 
conies, be ready to go at it while the soil is in condition, 
and unless the amount of rain is such as to make the 
earth thin mud, do not stop, for there may not soon be 
another chance. It sometimes may occur that the sum- 
mer rains may not be sufficient to thoroughly saturate the 
soil and insure growth of the plants. In this case " pud- 
dling " must be resorted to. ISTear the plant-bed make a 
hole about one foot diameter, and six or eight inches 
deep ; into this pour water, and with a hoe mix to the 
consistency of paste or thin mud, which will adhere to 
the roots. Let the plants be held evenly in the hands, 
and the roots passed a few times through the mud as each 
handful is pulled. Lay them in baskets, protect from 
the sun and air as much as possible, and have them trans- 
planted very soon after they are pulled. 

In taking up plants from the cold-frame, use a spade to 
raise them, thus securing whole roots with considerable 
earth attached. Plants in hot-beds should be saturated 
well with water before j^ulling, to accomplish the same 
object. 

The work of transplanting may be greatly facilitated 
by adopting a regular system of operations. Let one 
man attend to pulling the plants after enough have been 
drawn for a start. Have an active boy for each man to 
carry and drop the plants. If desirable to have the 
plants at even distances in the rows, mark the same on a 
pole, and by it plant the middle one of every seven or 
nine rows, which answers as a guide for the boys, who 



INSECTS. 19 

can drop the plants on the other rows, either 
side, directly opposite. The top of the plant should be 
laid to the left hand of the planters, to be the more readily 
taken up for depositing in the hole, which, by the way, 
should be made with a dibble in the right hand while the 
plant is being picked up with the left. 

It is not advisable to drop out plants of celery, leek, 
etc., which are set close in the rows, but here time may 
be saved by having one person to carry the plants in a 
basket, and hand them out as wanted by the planters. 
Should watering have to be resorted to, let it be done 
while there is no sun on the plants, as this would scorch 
the leaves, and the surface of the soil be apt to bake. The 
best time for watering is after sundown, or at least late in 
the afternoon. 

In transplanting into cold-frame or hot-bed, let the 
earth be freshly dug or raked, and after setting the plants, 
partially shade them for a few days, but do not wholly 
exclude the light. Use two broad boards to step on ; the 
face of one of these may be notched out at the distances 
required between the plants, when regularity is desired. 

INSECTS. 

The insects which annoy the gardener and damage or 
destroy his crops are of several kinds. 

The Striped Bug is very destructive to young plants of 
cucumber, melon, squash, etc. Tobacco-dust, bone-flour, 
ashes, soot, etc., are used to destroy or drive them away, 
but I have never found anything equal to shell-lime, aiV' 
slaked^ for their destruction. 

The Cabbage Flea, a small, black insect, which attacks 
young plants of cabbage, turnip, etc., is also very de- 
structive, but easily conquered by early applications of 
the last-named remedy in liberal quantity. 

The Cabbage Louse (I use the common names), a small, 



20 FARM-GAKDENING AND SEED-GKOWING. 

bluish insect, often infests crojDS of growing cabbages. 
They are not particularly destructive to these, but when 
a mass of them collect on the heads, as they frequently 
do, their appearance is spoiled, as they can scarcely be 
gotten off without removing all the outer leaves, and 
thus damaging the sale. These j)ests, though not very 
destructive to the growing cabbages, are very much so to 
the plant when producing seed. It was only a few years 
ago that I had a crop of seed cabbages entirely destroyed 
by them. They first appear, in small clusters, at the tip 
of the branches about the time the blossoms are 
coming, and if not immediately attended to, soon envelop 
the leaves and stalks to their total destruction. 

They are generally the worst in dry seasons, and some- 
times a heavy shower, before they get much start, will 
destroy them. I do not know of any positive remedy ; 
lime will check but not destroy them. As soon as they 
appear on seed-cabbage, tlie tip on which they lodge must 
be nipped off, and attention must be paid to them every 
day until the stalks and pods are quite hard. 

A new eneray to the cabbage family has lately ap- 
peared in the form of a green grub, which eats away 
the leaves, and in some sections whole fields have been 
destroyed. There is no positive remedy yet found 
against them, though many have been tried, with varying 
success. They are not yet common in this section, hence 
I have not had occasion to experiment with them. 

Another very injurious insect is the one which produces 
what is known as " club-root " in cabbages, cauliflower, 
etc. Various theories have been advanced as the cause 
of this malformation, but it is, beyond a doubt, caused 
by a maggot which eats into the root, causing it to swell 
in various shapes, and destroying the plant. I have no 
doubt that the eggs are deposited in the manure, and so 
taken to the field ; the maggot there hatches, and at once 
commences the work of destruction. My conclusions in 



INSECTS. 21 

this matter have been arrived at from observations made 
oa three different crops of radishes, and here, to be the 
better understood, I will say I believe the Cabbage Mag- 
got and the Radish Maggot to be one and the same. 

A few years ago I sowed three pieces of land with the 
White Summer Radish, one on land manured with stable 
manure at the time of sowing, the next without manure, 
where a liberal application had been made the iDrevious 
year, and the other without manure, but on one end of 
the land a heap of stable-manure had lain during the 
winter, and was removed to adjacent land for an early 
crop. The radishes on the first piece were mostly mag- 
got-eaten ; those on the second were not affected in the 
least, nor yet were those on the third bed, except where the 
manure heap had been. The theory that hog-manure 
will produce club-root is not entirely unfounded; for, 
while it may not be the immediate cause, yet no doubt, 
from its nature, it is the most attractive to the fly in seek- 
ing a place to deposit her eggs, and by it more are carried 
to the ground than in horse or cow manure. I firmly 
believe that much depends on the previous treatment of 
manure, such as heating, turnnig, etc. (by which the eggs 
may be destroyed), for the prevention of club-root. 

Shell-lime is an effectual preventive, and about Newark, 
N^. J., market-gardeners apply it heavily once in about 
five years with good results. 

Undoubtedly the maggots are killed by it before they 
can begin the work of destruction. Where lime can not 
be had conveniently, and even where it can, T advise jDut- 
ting the manure, especially that intended for cabbages 
and cauliflower, into a large heap, letting it heat, and 
occasionally working it over to prevent scorching. 

Henderson advises bone-flour as a remedy for club-root. 
One ihing is certain, if my view is correct ; we have in 
this valuable fertilizer the best substitute for stable- 



22 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

manure, and one that is free from the eggs which produce 
the Cabbage Maggot. 

COLD-FRAMES OR COLD-BEDS. 

These are constructed of common plank, usually about 
twelve inches high at the back, and eight inches at the 
front; in width according to the length of the sashes to 
be used, and in length to suit the number of sashes re- 
quired ; the planks must be supported by durable posts 
firmly set in the ground, to which they are nailed. They 
should always be erected in a sheltered position, facing 
southward, if possible, and on ground nearly or quite 
level, or perhaps gently sloping to the south. Some use 
slides upon which to run the sashes up and down ; these 
are very convenient. They are placed at such a distance 
apart that the edges of the sashes rest on the slides, and 
are separated by a narrow strip, thus making the opera- 
tion of airing quite easy. The slides are dovetailed into 
the plank ; hence they are held firm, and yet can be 
readily removed when occasion may require. The soil 
of a cold-bed should be light, dry, and free from stones, 
and enriched according to its intended use ; for if designed 
only as a place in which to preserve plants dui'ing winter, 
moderate fertility is all that is required j but if used for 
growing and forcing crops for market, it must be made 
and kept rich by liberal applications of fertilizers. 

The soil should be spaded deep and finely pulverized 
twice before planting, adding well-rotted stable-manure 
and bone-flour, which should be thoroughly Avorked into 
the soil in quantity according to the intended use of the 
bed, the surface finely raked, and the front slightly raised. 
This is from the fact that the sashes inclining to the front 
carry the water that way, more or less leakage taking 
place, beside the lower board shading inside of the frame 
renders the lower part wet and cold, and a little elevation 



COLD-FRAMES OR COLD-BEDS. 23 

of soil here has a good eifect. Cabbage, cauliflower, and 
lettuce plants are preserved in cold-beds, which renders 
them hardy and capable of being transplanted very early 
in the spring, and to be harvested in time to allow a sec- 
ond crop to be grown on the same ground. 

The seeds should be sown about the middle of Septem- 
ber, and to make a sure thing it is best to sow on the 
tenth and again on the twentieth of the month, each 
time using more seed than sufficient to produce the re- 
quisite number of plants. I might here add that cabbage 
and cauliflower seed will give about three thousand and 
lettuce-seed six thousand plants to an ounce. 

Select a piece of good soil ; plow or spade to a depth 
of eight inches; make the surface fine and even by thor- 
ough raking ; spread the seed thin over the entire surface, 
and cover by raking in or sprinkling fine soil over the 
whole to a depth of one half an inch, slightly pressing 
with the back of the spade, and if the earth is dry 
sprinkle with water in the evening. As soon as the 
plants have formed the second leaves, or become large 
enough to handle conveniently, they should be trans- 
planted into the cold-frame, the soil being prepared as 
above directed, and it will be found advisable to prepare 
the bed just immediately preceding the transplanting, 
the soil then possessing a natural moisture, which is a 
condition far preferable to that presented when the sur- 
face has become dry, and one which can not be obtained 
by artificial watering. 

It is very important here, as in all transplanting, that 
the earth be firmly pressed against the root. Cabbage 
and cauliflower must be set down to the first leaves, or 
as deep as possible without covering the hearts. By doing 
this, the stalk is more thoroughly protected, and in case 
the plants become severely frozen, the frost will draw out 
through the earth, and they will not be injured as when 
exposed directly to the snn and air. 



24 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

Lettuce, however, must not be planted very deep ; if the 
whole of the root be covered, it will be quite sufficient. 

The plants may be shaded for a day or two, and if the 
earth is dry a light sprinkling of water may be given, but 
this will not be necessary if the earth is fresh and 
has been pressed firmly to the roots. The plants may be 
set two and a half by two inches apart; but they will be 
stronger and better by setting three inches each way, ex- 
cept lettuce, which will have ample room at the distance 
first named. They should remain exposed until the ap- 
proach of severe weather, w^hen the sashes must be put on, 
and during very severe frosts beds of cauliflower may be 
further protected at night by mats, old carpet, or the like 
thrown over the sashes. Always bear in mind that these 
plants are placed in the cold-frame for preservation, and 
not to make growth ; hence, after they have become 
rooted, the bed must be kept rather dry than otherwise, 
and the most important point of all is, to give an abun- 
dance of air. Whenever the thermometer, in the shade 
on a still day, shows ten degrees, the sashes may be pushed 
down one or two inches from the top ; at twenty degrees, 
they may be pushed down nearly half-way, and at thirty 
degrees they can be drawn entirely ofi*. Where slides are 
not used the sashes may be raised by means of wedges 
placed under the upper end to correspond as nearly as pos- 
sible with the above. 

These plants are almost hardy in the open ground, and 
as the glass over them concentrates the sun's rays and 
heats the air in the bed, great care must be taken lest 
the plants become drawn thereby. There is much 
greater danger of keeping them too warm than too cold. 

Especially is it very important that they should be ex- 
posed for a fortnight before setting in the open ground, 
and if they have been kept cool and not drawn, the frames 
may be left open during frosty nights to harden the plants, 
guarding against snow, which would be liable to destroy 



HOT-BEDS. 25 

some of the plants by breaking the hearts. To guard 
against the possibility of this, where sashes are removed 
to use on other frames, it is well to have at hand 
a supply of shutters, of the same size as the sashes. 

Cold-frames are extensively used about New- York City 
for forcing lettuce, cucumbers, and parsley, and may be 
used to advantage for producing cabbage, cauliflower, let- 
tuce, and celery plants early in the spring, sweet-potato 
plants later, herbs for transplanting, forcing beets, carrots, 
and radishes, forwarding cucumbers, melons, squashes, and 
lima beans for transplanting to the oj^en ground, and har- 
dening off tomato, pepper, and other plants, all of which 
are duly noticed under their respective heads. 

HOT-BEDS. 

These differ from cold-frames mainly in being mostly 
composed of partly fermented stable-manure, which gives 
off great heat, and when properly worked and compactly 
formed continues to do so for a long time, and this, with 
the assistance of the sun, the heat of which is concentrated 
by the glass of the sashes, enables us to force or hasten the 
growth of many vegetables much in advance of the natural 
seasons, and further aids us in growing such vegetables as 
are natives of a tropical climate, by forwarding the plants, 
and which on account of the shortness of our seasons could 
not be successfully grown, if the sowing of the seeds of 
such was delayed until the earth had become sufficiently 
warmed to allow them to germinate. 

There are various Avays of making a hot-bed, but I will 
only describe the two leading methods. A stationary hot- 
bed is made by digging a pit about two and a half feet 
deep, boarding up the sides and ends to about one foot 
above ground on the back and three inches on the front, 
in width and length according to the size and number of 
the sashes to be used, and furnished with slides, as in the 
2 



26 FARM-GAKDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

cold-frame, to assist in giving air, etc. Into this pit place 
one foot of leaves or coarse litter, and manure to a depth 
of one and a half foot, whicli must be trodden down rather 
firmly, the surface made even, and covered with from three 
to six inches of soil, as the case may require. This style is 
best suited for forcing lettuce, rhubarb, asparagus, dwarf 
cabbages, and such vegetables; but I much prefer for 
general use the movable hot-bed, which is made by exca- 
vating one and a lialf foot deep, two feet wider than the 
frame to be used, and two feet longer than will accommo- 
date two frames of four sashes each, and not boarding up. 
In this pit place one foot of leaves or coarse litter, and on 
that one foot or more of manure, well shaken up, but do 
not tread it down — the only pressure necessary being a 
light patting with the back of the fork to even the surface. 
Throw two planks across on which to walk, and stepping 
on them, place on the frames, one foot from either end, and 
leaving one foot on the outside, back and front ; square the 
frame by means of a sash ; put in three inches of soil, fill- 
ing mostly around the sides and ends, to assist these parts 
in settling, as the center will naturally settle firs-t ; put on 
the sashes, bank up the outside, especially on the north, 
with coarse manure. Choose a mild day for the work, 
and let it be done as expeditiously as possible, that the 
manure may not be too much chilled. 

The object of having the pit wider than the frame, is to 
allow the manure, earth, and frame to settle evenly in a 
body. The frames can be made from ordinary thirteen- 
foot plank, accommodating four sashes, six by three feet, 
with sliders, without w^aste, and will be full heavy enough 
for two men to handle, being two planks on the back and 
one on the front, braced with pieces of joist in the corners 
and center, to which the planks are nailed, the ends being 
raised the thickness of the sashes. 

The sliders can be dovetailed in the same as the cold- 
frame and the frames made without bottoms. By either 



FOKCING-PIT. 27 

metliod, when the bed lias stood three days, the sashes and 
sliders should he removed, the soil raked even and fine, and 
as much more added as may be necessary, which will depend 
on the crop to be grown, dh*ections for which are given 
under each separate head. 

It is very important to have good manure, and to have 
it well worked over before using, to insure success in mak- 
ing a hot-bed. Manure as it comes from the stables is 
generally too coarse, and makes too rank a heat. It should 
be thrown in a heap, and when heated, which may be 
known by the vapor arising from it, the whole must be 
turned and forked over, and this sometimes repeated four 
or five difierent times, but usually three good workings 
will temper it, the last being given three or four days be- 
fore it is to be used. The manure that is shipped from 
ISTew York City, by boat and railroad, is generally in 
good condition for making a hot-bed. 

The soil should be light, free, and moderately rich, 
though I have found that which has long been used, to 
have a tendency to cause the young plants to damp oif, 
and I would recommend using one half well-rotted sods 
and one half old soil, thoroughly mixed. 

Select a sheltered, warm position for a hot-bed, and one 
that may be permanent, as the same pits or trenches last 
from year to year, the earth and manure being removed to 
a heap, and the frames, if movable, snugly stored away to 
do duty again the following and many successive years. 



FORCING-PIT. 

This is an arrangement similar to the stationary hot- 
bed frame, and can be used for forwarding rhubarb, cauli- 
flower, cabbage, etc., without resorting to the use of hot 
manure, and sometimes a frame is used, the same as a 
movable hot-bed frame, but built one plank higher back 



28 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

and front. Directions for using are given under the 
head of such vegetables as are grown in this manner. 

TOOLS AND THEIK USES. 

The tools required in gardening and seed-growing are 
quite numerous. 

Various patterns of different kinds have been invented, 
some improvements on the old style, but many of no prac- 
tical value. I shall avoid as much as possible recommend- 
ing any particular pattern of either tool of which I make 
mention, but leave the selection to the judgment of those 
who may have occasion to use them ; because what suits one 
may not suit another. 

Plow. — Use a plow which will positively invert, that is, 
completely turn over the soil. Take a narrow furrow, and 
while it is important to plow deep, yet it is not expedient 
to do so until the land is made comparatively rich. Plow 
j&ve or six inches deep, following with the subsoil plow to a 
depth of six inches more. At the next plowing run the sur- 
face plow deeper, and so continue each time until a depth of 
ten inches or more is attained, frequently applying 
manure, without which deep plowing is injurious, but with 
it vastly beneficial. 

Subsoiling may be done frequently with good results, 
and the depth increased gradually to eighteen inches. 

Harrow. — The most suitable harrow is made square, 
about five and a half feet either way, with four cross- 
pieces, which, with the front and back, each contain al- 
ternately eight and seven teeth, nine inches apart, 
set diagonally, so as to cut four and a half inches. 

The teeth should be made of one-inch square iron, 
pointed and hardened, and the points should project eight 
inches and the heads one inch. 

The ground should be twice gone over, then reverse 



TOOLS AND THEIIl USES. 29 

the harrow and " back it." This will generally make the 
surface fine, but if not, go once more over with the teeth 
and again with the back of the harrow. When the 
ground is in fit condition to work, it can be made suffi- 
ciently fine and even by skillful "back-harrowing," to 
admit of sowing nearly all kinds of seeds, but occasion- 
ally to get a bed in prime order the surface must be well 
raked. 

Cultivator. — The '* harrow-tooth " cultivator is requisite 
in garden crops while the plants are small. 

Afterward, the "broad-toothed" or any of the im- 
proved styles may be used, always going twice each way. 

Always bear in mind that the " cultivator " is better to 
prevent than to destroy weeds, so commence early and re- 
peat often ; never wait until the weeds can be seen. 

lloe. — The operation of hoeing is, in gardening, a very 
important one. 

It is necessary to hoe deep to loosen the soil ; and 
thoroughly pulverize it to eflfectually destroy young 
weeds. 

A steel-toothed rake may be used in the manner of a 
hoe to advantage in disturbing the soil before the weeds 
get any start, which, by the way, should never be allowed. 
The " pronged hoe " is effectual in loosening the soil and 
preventing the weeds growing; taken in time, more 
work can be done with one than with a common hoe in the 
same time. The " push or scuffle hoe " is very useful for 
loosening the surface soil, between rows of small j^lants 
before the other hoes can be used, and some crops can be 
worked almost entirely with them. They arc also useful 
in cleaning ground for a second croj). Sizes vary from four 
to twelve inches, all of which are useful. 

Spade. — Spade cultivation is no longer considered the 
one great point in gardening. Henderson very truthfully 
remarks, " No digging in the ordinary way can pulverize 



30 FAEM-GAKDEXING AND SEED-GROAVIXG. 

the soil so thoroughly as can be done by the plow and 
harrow, nor no trenching much surpass in its results 
that done by thorough subsoiling." Still, cold-beds and 
small pieces of ground must sometimes be dug, and it is 
advisable that it be done well. Never set the spade far 
back ; or, in other words, take a little earth at one time, 
invert it, and pulverize well with the spade, if one is used, 
but the " spading-fork " will be found a good substitute, 
and much better for this purpose. 

Rake* — ^The ordinary wooden rake contains ten teeth ; 
those best adapted to garden use have fourteen. In cov- 
ering seed, rake lengthwise with the rows, taking from 
two to four rows together, breaking lumps with the back 
of the rake. In smoothing the surface for sowing, rake as 
much as possible from the sides, to avoid unnecessary 
treading over the bed. Steel rakes have fine sharp teeth, 
and are very useful where it is important to have the sur- 
face soil extra fine. When used as a substitute for the 
hoe, various sizes are necessary to accommodate the width 
between the rows. 

Garden-Line. — This is very essential where straight 
rows are desired, and such certainly always should be. 

Let the line be strong, though not heavy, as long as 
the lands, and for convenience be wound on a reel, and 
have a sharp-pointed iron at each end for fastening into the 
earth. To get the line perfectly straight, set the pin at 
one end, unreel the line, draw it tiglit^ and fasten the reel- 
pin firmly in the earth ; return to the center, raise the line 
with the thumb and finger, four or five feet from the 
ground, and let it quickly descend — ^using the line in fact 
in the same manner as a carpenter uses a chalk-line. 

Markers. — These are indispensable in marking rows for 
sowing seeds or setting plants. To make them, take a 
piece of 4x4 joist six and a half feet long, to which attach 
a handle and cross-piece, the whole forming the letter "["• 



TOOLS AND THEIR USES. 31 

To the joist, or head, nail strips two inches wide, pro- 
jecting six inches, and slightly sharpened at the ends. Two 
markers are requisite, on one of which set the strips or 
teeth, ten inches apart on one side, and fifteen inches on 
the reverse. On the other set the teeth on opposite sides, 
twelve and eighteen inches apart. 

By this plan fou<r markers are combined in two, and 
facilities are afforded for marking rows ten, twelve, fifteen, 
and eighteen inches apart, or the spaces may be varied to 
suit. 

A more durable marker can be made by having light, 
flat iron teeth, but in this case the frame must not be so 
heavy, and the whole may be iron-braced. 

In marking rows, first draw the line straight at one 
side of the bed, and walking backwards, draw the marker 
along, keeping the outer tooth nearly up to the line; then 
set the outer tooth in the inner mark, and return, and so 
continue until the land is finished. 

By care, a broad bed can thus be marked out, and the 
rows all be straight, by once stretching the line. These 
markers can be used for wide planting, as, for instance, 
cabbages at thirty inches ; use the fifteen inch side and 
plant the alternate rows. 

Dibble* — ^The best dibble or implement for transplant- 
ing can be easily made from a natural bent limb of a tree 
— apple generally affording the best. It should be ten 
inches long, with the crook for the handle four inches 
more ; the main part one and a half inch in diameter 
at the centre, and from there gradually tapering to a 
point, which should be lightly ironed and the whole made 
smooth. This style is fiir preferable to the old one, made 
from the upper part of a spade-handle. 

Seed-Sowers. — These are very useful, doing the work 
easier, quicker, and in most cases better than by hand. 
They are regulated generally by changeable slides, con- 



32 FARM-GAPwDEXING AND SEED-GKOWING. 

taining holes nicely graded as to size, and directions for 
setting to sow tlie different seeds accompany each ma- 
chine; but as " circumstances alter cases," it is best not 
to pay too much attention to these instructions. 

The best way is, to spread a cloth and bow some seed 
on it, varying the grade to suit the seed and the quantity 
required. All sticks and chaff should be removed from 
seed before sowing it by machine. 

ForkSi — The most convenient fork for handling manure 
is one that is light, though it must be strong. AYhen a 
fork is used to separate stalks from seed after thrashing, 
one with very few tines should be used, that the seed may 
be thoroughly shaken out, but it is advisable to do this 
work by the hands alone. 

Shears* — The spring shears, such as are used for prun- 
ing, are very useful for cutting seed-stalks, and are far 
preferable to a knife. Sickles make quicker work than 
shears in cutting the stalks of cabbage or turnip seed, 
but there is more jar, which causes some loss of seed, and 
upon the whole shears may be considered the best imple- 
ment for cutting seeds. 

Troweli — ^This is an important implement in lifting 
plants, w^hen a ball of earth is required, attached to the 
roots. It is also useful in taking up dry onions, especially 
" sets," and very handy to assist in transplanting egg- 
plants, tomatoes, etc., which are taken up with balls of 
earth. 

Straw MatSi — ^These are very useful for protecting hot- 
beds and cold-frames, and covering onions, onion sets, etc. 

The usual size is five by seven feet. To make them, 
erect a frame in the market-house, or some out-building, 
using for the sides common boards set edgewise against 
the wall or partition, with a piece of joist at the top and 
one near the floor at the bottom. 

The frame should be five feet wide, and in hight from 



TOOLS AND THEIR USES. 33 

the floor to the ceiling. In each piece of joist firmly set 
iron staples one foot apart and six inches from either side. 
From the lower staples to the upper ones firmly stretch 
strings of tarred marline, seven feet long. Make a 
straw band five feet long and one inch thick, by 
firmly wrapping the straw with tarred string. Fasten 
the band securely at the bottom of the upright cords 
by means of tarred strings, which for convenience' sake 
may be wound on sticks, and must be attached to the up- 
rights, and afterwards serves for binding the straw. 

Supposing two men to be engaged at this work, which 
is the most expeditious plan, let each be provided with a 
bundle of straw, and taking sufficient to make an inch in 
diameter when bound, place the but-ends against the 
frame on each side, and wrap the tarred strings around 
the straw and the upright at the same time, passing it 
through in the form of a half-hitch, and draw it tight. To 
make the strings draw easy, rub them with soap. When 
the desired length is completed, put on a band as in the 
start. It is very important to have good rye straw for 
this purpose. 

It should be reaped, and hand- thrashed, or, what is bet- 
ter still, be reaped when in blossom, whereby it does not 
require thrashing, hence is much stronger, and moreover 
does not contain any grain to attract mice when the mats 
are stored. 

Straw mats, if rolled up and stored away when out of 
use, and temporarily put away during wet weather, when 
in use, will last a great many years. 

Sashes* — ^These are very important. They may be 
made of any convenient size. Those generally used by 
gardeners are three by six feet, the frames of clear pine, 
an inch and a half thick ; the glass six by eight inches, and 
of the best quality. By keeping them glazed and painted 
they will last many years. 
2* 



34 FARM-GARDEXIXG AND SEED-GROV/ING. 

Shutters. — These are made of worked ceiling boards, 
of the same size as the sashes, and are battened the same 
as a door. They are very convenient to put over plants 
in the frames, from which the sashes have been removed, 
in case of sudden cold or storm, and can also be used over 
the sashes in cold weather as a protection. They are very 
convenient to dry seeds on, and may be i^ut to a variety 
of uses. 

Wheelbarrows. — The person who has vegetables to 
prepare for market, will find these very convenient in 
bringing the produce from the field to the market-house, 
also in moving plants of egg-plant, tomato, etc., from the 
hot-beds to the ground, and there are numerous times 
when the wheelbarrow is quite as important as the wagon 
to the gardener. Those generally used by market-gar- 
deners are of the box pattern, and usually twice as large 
as those sold in the stores. 

Fan-Mill, — This to the seed-grower is very valuable, 
and it is important to have sieves for it of every grade, to 
accommodate seeds of any size or weight. In cleaning 
seeds with the fan-mill, let them run slowly and evenly, 
and regulate the sieves according to the size of the seed, 
and the force of wind according to its weight ; light 
seeds requiring a light wind, and vice versa. 

Sieves. — These are also indispensable in cleaning seeds, 
as many kinds can not be thoroughly cleaned by the fan- 
mill. It is well to have a full set, from No. 2 to No. 40. 
The numbers are in accordance with the meshes to a 
square inch, and from No. 8 upwards should be of brass 
wire, as those of fine iron wire soon rust out. 

Cloths. — Cloths for gathering seeds, etc., are very use- 
ful, and it is well to have a good supply. A cloth the full 
size of the thrashing floor is useful in saving seed, unless 
the joints are very tight, and even then the seed can be 
more readily handled, and is not so liable to be broken 



TOOLS AND THEIR USES. 35 

Wiien on a cloth as when thrashed on the bare floor. 
Another cloth, sufficiently largo to cover the bottom and 
sides of a wagon, is necessary in carrying seeds from the 
field to the barn to be thrashed, and may also be used for 
covering vegetables when being transported by wagon. 
This and the preceding one should be made of light cot- 
ton-duck ; sometimes old sails can be had sufficiently 
sound to answer the purpose. "Hand-cloths" nine feet 
square are useful for carrying seeds. These should be 
made of an article called " burlaps," except such as are 
only used to dry seeds on, which may be of strong 
muslin. 

WagonSi — Market-gardeners who convey their produce 
directly to market, use spring wagons, made very strong, 
to carry a heavy load of vegetables, and bring back a 
load of manure. Such a wagon will be very useful to the 
farm-gardener, in conveying produce to the point of ship- 
ment, and also to the seed-grower in carrying seeds, etc., 
from the field to the barn, and for sundry other purposes ; 
but in these cases, the latter especially, it need not be so 
heavy. A convenient size is one large enough to carry 
ten barrels, with high body and flaring side-boards. For 
carting manure, farm wagons are certainly the best, when 
conveying it any considerable distance, but for this pur- 
'pose, at home, dumping carts are far preferable. 

Buildings. — Good comfortable stables and barn room, 
as well as sheds for wagons, plows, sashes, mats, etc., are 
indispensable, and in addition, those who grow vegetables 
for market will need a place wherein to prepare stufi" for 
market, and water convenient is necessary, for such 
things as require washing. This building, generally 
called the " market-house," should be of good - size, and 
may be used for storing those of the smaller tools which 
are frequently needed. 

The upper part will be very convenient for storage pur- 
poses. A good cellar beneath will not be amiss. 



36 FARM-GAKDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

The seed-grower requires a room similar to this in 
which to work wet days, clean seeds in winter, etc., and 
in addition, a dry, well-ventilated room for storing, and 
an abundance of loft room for drying seeds, all of which 
should be so constructed as to be free from mice and rats, 
which make sad havoc among seeds when they once get 
in. Seed lofts should be divided, to prevent the seeds be- 
coming mixed, by any means, while drying. 

STORING ROOTS FOR WINTER. 

Many roots are the most salable in winter, when there 
are no green vegetables, and many seed crops require the 
roots to be carefully preserved from frost during winter 
and transplanted sound in the spring. To preserve them 
properly is an important matter. The most natural and 
the simplest plan, is to put them in pits. These should 
not be very deep, nor very long, as it is not advisable to 
store many in one bulk. A good size is one that will hold 
about thirty-five bushels, twelve feet long, two feet deep, 
two feet wide at the bottom, and two and a half feet at 
the top. The pit should be filled ratlier more than even- 
full, covered with six inches of straw and eight inches of, 
earth, which must be packed firm to turn the water. 

" Chimneys " of straw may protrude from the center 
for ventilation, b^t if the bulk is small and the roots are 
perfectly dry when put away, this will not be necessary. 
At the approach of severe cold weather, the covering 
should be increased to eighteen inches, or at least enough 
to keep out the frost. 

Root-cellars were formerly used to some extent, and 
will yet be found very convenient, where small lots of 
roots are frequently wanted. They can be made by dig- 
ging, say six feet deep, any length and breadth, setting 
posts and boarding up the sides, covering with a strong 



HARVESTING AND CLEANING SEEDS. 37 

roof, over wliich put t\yelvc inches of soil and sod the 
whole. 

The door should be to the southward, and so arranged 
as to be covered in severe cold weather. No Avindows are 
necessary, as all roots keep best away from the light. 
The inside may be divided into bins, of any convenient 
size, but here, as in pitting, it will be advisable not to put 
too many roots in one bulk. An ordinary cellar can be 
used, if free from frost and yet not over-warm ; but the 
main difficulty generally is, cellars arc too dry, and there 
is too much light. Roots will keep well in a cool cellar, 
placed in heaps, and covered with thin sods. 

Onions should be kept in a dry loft, well ventilated, 
and spread thin until settled cold weather, when they 
may be put thicker, and covered with straw mats, straw, 
or hay. They must not be disturbed while frozen, nor the 
covering removed until they become thawed out away 
from the light and air. Directions for preserving green 
roots, such as celery, etc., arc given under their respective 
heads. 



HARVESTING AND CLEANING SEEDS. 



Particular attention must be paid to these two points. 
Seeds, to look well, should be perfectly clean, entirely free 
from chaff, sticks, sand, and all foreign matter, and in 
cleaning, much depends on how they have been harvested. 

Beans, peas, etc., will be more or less damaged in ap- 
pearance if exposed to rains after they are ripe ; so also 
will wet weather injure seeds of cabbage, turnip, etc., by 
destroying the color, and causing some to sprout if long 
exposed. 

In fact, all seeds have a much brighter appearance when 
harvested as soon as ripe, than when allov/ed to be wea- 
ther-beaten. Hence, while it is essential that all seeds 



33 FARil-GAIiDEXING AND SEED-GEOWIXG. 

should be fully matured, it is also important to gather 
them as soon as they are ripe. 

The thrashing of seeds must be carefully done, to avoid 
breaking with the flail, and grinding under foot, especially 
those of a soft and oily nature. Thrashing should be 
done, so far as practicable, when the air is dry. In fer- 
menting seeds of pulpy vegetables for washing, judgment 
is required, for while, as a rule, no seeds are injured so far 
as germinating is concerned so long as they lie in the nat- 
ural juice, yet if allowed to remain longer than necessary 
to remove the mucilaginous covering they soon lose color. 

In washing, it is very essential that it be done in the 
early part of a clear day, that the seeds shall not be long 
wet by water, lest some may sprout, and hence be spoiled. 
N'ever put seeds away in bulk, until they are thorour/hly 
free from moisture. 

FALL PLOWING. 

I desire to call the attention of those who till the soil, 
especially those who may go into the business of farm- 
gardening or seed-growing, to the importance, in my 
opinion, of plowing land in the fall. The subject has 
been discussed at various times, and while some have 
asserted that it is productive of but little or no good 
results, yet there are some who deem this practice of 
great importance as being vastly beneficial to the soil. 

It is the custom almost universally among market-gar- 
deners, with whom it is important to have the soil fine 
and free from lumps, to plow their ground deeply and 
harrow thoroughly after the crops have been removed in 
the fall, for they understand full well there is nothing 
which will so completely aid in pulverizing the soil as 
the action of frost, and being loosened by the plow, the 
frost can act more effectually during the winter; and 
moreover, the sun acts more forcibly upon it in the 



FALL PLOAVIXG. 39 

spring; consequently, it tliaws quicker, and can be 
Avorked earlier than when left as the previous crop was 
taken from it. 

Some contend that on fall-plowed land the snows of 
winter are as beneficial as an ordinary dressing of ma- 
nure, and while I can not vouch for the truth of this, yet 
there can be no doubt that the snow collects and brings 
with it the gases and impurities floating in the air, which 
may be beneficial to the soil, and can, of course, become 
more thoroughly impregnated where the land is newly 
plowed. 

One thing is positively certain, that land plowed in the 
fall or early winter can be plowed again in the spring 
earlier and easier and more free from lumps than, that not 
fall-plowed, and this with the comparative ease with 
which it can be worked during the summer will more 
than compensate for the time consumed in extra plowing, 
to say nothing of the increase of crops brought about by 
the land being in suitable condition for the roots to take 
hold, and to find nourishment for the growing plant. 



40 FAKM-GAEDEXING AND SEED-GROWING. 



VEGETABLES AND THEIR SEEDS. 



ASPARAGUS. 

The increasing demand and consequent high prices ob- 
tained for this vegetable, as well as its availability for 
transportation, render it an object worthy the attention 
of the farm-gardener. Quantities of it are being annually 
planted at the e&st end of Long Island, where the charac- 
ter of the soil and the humid, saline air seems particularly 
adapted to its growth. As a general rule, asparagus suc- 
ceeds best near the sea-coast, though it can be (and is) 
profitably grown far inland, and upon almost any soil, by 
proper preparation and careful attention, and in fact this 
is a very essential point and the great secret of success in 
any locality. Those who contemplate growing this vege- 
table for profit will do well to bear in mind tlie latter 
fact; and, moreover, it matters not how well the bed may 
have been prepared and enriched in the beginning, unless 
it is kept up to a high state of fertility by annual applica- 
tions of manure in liberal quantity and thorough working, 
all preliminary labor will have been in vain. An aspara- 
gus bed, thoroughly prepared and properly attended to, 
will continue to yield in large quantity for an indefinite 
number of years, most writers placing the time at twenty, 
but I have known of at least one bed producing profit- 
ably for thirty years from the time of planting. 

Growing the Plants. — The soil best adapted to grow- 
ing asparagus roots or plants is a deep loam where sand 
predominates, and which has been well manured the pre- 
ceding year. Give a good dressing of stable-manure, 
plowed under, or bone-dust, bone-phosphate, or guano 



ASPARAGUS. 41 

harrowed in. The ground should be deeply and thor- 
oughly plowed, and harrowed fine. Mark out rows 
fifteen inches apart, about two inches deep, and sov/ the 
seed in them evenly and thinly as early in the spring as 
the ground can be worked. If the plants are to be used 
when one year old, thin to three inches apart as soon as 
they are up. If not to be used until the second year, 
they will not require thinning if evenly sown. 

As soon as the plants are up, use a twelve-inch push or 
scufiie-hoe between the rows, and remove all weeds in the 
rows by hand, and at the same time thin the plants if it is 
intended to transplant them at one year old. 

About a fortnight after, use the prong-hoe to loosen the 
soil. Keep free from weeds all the season. Let the stalks 
remain on the bed until spring to protect the young roots 
from severe freezing and to prevent the ground from 
heaving. If the plants are not removed in spring, the 
only attention required the second season will bo to 
occasionally loosen the soil, and keep them free from 
weeds. 

One pound of seed will produce ten thousand plants. 
The roots may be obtained from any nurseryman or 
seedsman if it is desirable to save the time and trouble 
of growing them. One-year-old plants, or those two 
years, grown in good soil and not stunted, are the best, 
though they may be used at three years old. 

Soil and Preparation. — Asparagus can be grown in 
almost any soil, but succeeds best in a sandy loam with 
deep surface and porous clay or sandy subsoil. It can 
scarcely be made too rich, nor be too well prepared. It 
is a rank feeder, and its roots penetrate the earth to a 
great depth and in every direction ; therefore, the more 
assistance given to the plant by thorough cultivation, the 
greater will be the product. The land intended for an 
asparagus-bed should be deeply plowed in the fall, using 
at the same time the lifting subsoil plow, which should go 



42 FAEM-GARDENIN^G AND SEED-GKOWING. 

as deep as possible, following with the harrow until tho 
surface soil is finely pulverized. 

In the spring, apply well-rotted stable-manure, broad- 
cast, at the rate of sixty-two horse-loads to the acre, or 
when this can not be obtained use raw bone-dust, two 
tons to the acre. These two fertilizers may be used to- 
gether ; one half the above-named quantities of each to 
the acre. 

Plow deep, again using the subsoil plow ; harrow finely 
and evenly. 

If the ground is poor, use about two barrels of bone- 
phosphate, or seventy-five pounds of Peruvian guano, to 
the acre in the rows, applied at the first hoeing. 

Planting and Cultivating. — Asparagus may be set in 
the fall, but it is far preferable to use the fall and winter 
in preparing the land, carting manure, etc. ; thus having 
everything ready for an early start in the spring, and the 
earlier it is set out the better. There is a diversity of 
opinion in regard to the most suitable distance at which 
the plants should be set to obtain the greatest results. 

Some advise setting fifteen to eighteen inches each way, 
while others argue that better results will be obtained by 
placing them six feet each way. My own observation 
and experience convince me that these are opposite ex- 
tremes. When the bed has been thoroughly prepared by 
plowing, subsoiling, manuring, and harrowing, mark out 
furrows five feet apart and about eight inches deep. Set 
the plants eighteen inches apart, spreading the roots, cov- 
ering and fastening them firmly, burying the crowns about 
one inch. At the distance here given, five thousand five 
hundred and eight will set an acre. 

The crown and roots occupying about two inches, the 
top of the crown (though to be covered only one inch at 
first) will be about six inches below the level of the sur- 
face when the furrows have become filled with earth. As 
soon as the stalks or young shoots appear, cultivate and 



ASPAKAGUS. 43 

hoe, and repeat during the summer, gradually filling the 
furrows, so that by fall the whole surface may be level. 
The object of this plan is to ultimately have the crow^ns 
deep, which, on account of the weakness of the shoot the 
first season, can not be accomplished at the time of plant- 
ing. In the fall, plow a light furrow to the rows on both 
sides, previously applying well-rotted manure or bone-dust 
over the rows. In spring, harrow down level, cultivate 
and hoe during the summer, never allowing the weeds to 
get a start. The following or second fall, plow away from 
the rows on both sides ; apply well-rotted manure, compost, 
or bone-dust in the furrows, and plow back, leaving the 
earth in ridges over every row, stirring the ground be- 
tween the rows, and always being careful not to cut or 
disturb the roots. In spring, harrow down nearly or quite 
level. This season the strongest shoots may be cut ; but 
avoid cutting many, lest the roots be weakened and there- 
by permanently injured. Cultivate during the summer as 
before, manuring the following and every succeeding fall 
as previously directed. After the third year the asparagus 
may be cut indiscriminately. Every succeeding spring 
the earth should be harrowed fine, and may be left slight- 
ly raised above the rows, which has a tendency to bring 
the shoots forward earlier than when grown on a level sur- 
face. The stalks should be removed before the seeds 
ripen and fall, lest they germinate and grow, causing more 
work, and if the plants are allowed to remain, they will 
soon make the bed a mass of roots and damage the crop. 
Coarse salt may be used after the third year at the rate 
of five bushels to the acre, applied to the rows with the 
manure, or three times that quantity, broadcast, in the fall. 
Some argue that a heavier dressing will be beneficial, 
and even assert that salt may be applied to this crop, 
broadcast, one half an inch thick over the entire surface. 

I would not, however, recommend using more than the 
quantity first named, and it is very doubtful whether this 



44 FAIIM-GAIIDENIXG AND SEED-GROAVI^'G. 

would be beneficial near the seacoast, where there is a 
salme atmosphere, except so far as it may have a tend- 
ency to destroy weeds. 

Cutting and Bunching. — The season of asparagus usual- 
ly lasts until about the middle of June, but is governed 
in a great measure by *' early peas," for as soon as these 
become abundant in the markets, there is but little call 
for asparagus. 

There are knives made expressly for cutting asparagus, 
but I have always found an ordinary long-bladed butch- 
er's-knifc to answer every purpose. The person cutting 
should be provided with a whetstone to keep the knife 
sharp. 

In the early part of the season, asparagus will require 
cutting only about three times a week, but as the season 
advances and the weather becomes warm, it will be neces- 
sary to cut it every day, and sometimes, when very 
warm, just after a rain, it must be cut twice in one day. 

It should always be cut before the head bursts, 
as after that time it is useless for marketing. When cut- 
ting lay the stalks in handfuls along the rows, afterwards 
gathering them in baskets, but avoid letting them become 
wilted after cutting. Wash before tying. Do not sufier 
asparagus to remain in any other than an upright position 
for any great length of time, and always pack it upright, 
for if laid otherwise the heads will turn upwards, thus 
crooking the stalks or bunches. 

In bunching, a frame is used, v/hich is made of two 
pieces of common board, nailed one against the other at 
right angles ; the one for the back six inches high and 
twelve inches long, the bottom about ten inches wide and 
twelve inches long. 

In this bottom-piece are placed four light upright stakes 
about six inches long, about four inches apart each way, 
in the form of a square, commencing two inches from the 
back. This is the primitive and cheap style of buncher, 



ASPAKAGUS. 45 

now partially superseded by machines constructed of metal, 
much more convenient than the one described. In either 
case, across the bottom and between the stakes or metal 
bands, a string must be laid, and on this lay the asparagus, 
the heads against the back board, to keep them even until 
a quantity sufficient for a bunch of the size desired has 
been placed in. Draw the string tight and tie, cut the 
bottom or base of the bunch even, remove from the frame, 
press the string down firm, place a light string above the 
other near the top, and the bunch is ready for market. 
The size of the bunch must be regulated by circumstances. 
The stalks should be cut when about six inches above 
ground, cutting four inches below, hence averaging ten 
inches in length, and when trimmed will leave the bunch 
about nine inches long. 

An ordinary bunch is from four to five inches in diame- 
ter at the center. Use bass-mat or other flat strings, to 
avoid cutting the stalks. 

Pack the bunches with fresh-cut grass, below and be- 
tween, in boxes, keeping in an upright position. 

Growing for Family UsCi — When asparagus is grown 
for family use only, in small quantities, the rows may bo 
not more than half as far apart as for field culture, in which 
case the bed must be worked entirely by hand, using the 
spading fork to loosen the soil. 

Seed. — Asparagus produces seed when two years old. 
When fully developed, the stalks are from five to six feet 
in hight, with numerous branches, upon which are pro- 
duced a profusion of bright scarlet berries, containing 
from three to six seeds each. To save the seed, cut 
the stalks as soon as the berries are ripe, which may be 
known by their changing color from green to scarlet, and 
softening somewhat. The berries may be stripped by 
hand, or thrashed upon a cloth or floor. After separating 
from the stalks, place the berries in a barrel or tub, and 
mash them with a wooden pounder, to break the outer 



46 FAEM-GAKDEXIJSTG AXD SEED-GEOWIXG. 

shells, and then separate the j^ulp from the seed by- 
washing. 

When placed in water the seeds will settle, while the 
pulp and shells will readily pass away in pouring off the 
water. Repeat the washing three or four times, and the 
seed will be clean ; it should then be placed on boards to 
dry, in the sun and wind. After the first day remove 
from the sun, but expose to the air in a dry loft, spread 
thin, for ten days or more. 

The seed retains its vitality from two to three years. 

Varieties. — ^Until quite recently the varieties of aspara- 
gus have been mainly designated as " Purple Top Giant " 
and " Green Top Giant," but there has virtually been but 
one kind — that growing in heavy soil producing purple, 
and in loamy soil green, and in very sandy soils very 
light green or nearly white tops or heads. " Conover's 
Colossal " is undoubtedly a distinct and improved variety, 
growing very strong and producing stalks of enormous 
size. Other varieties are being introduced, and any real 
improvement will be duly appreciated, but much must 
depend upon the treatment bestowed upon the plants, of 
whatever variety. 

BEAN". 

Bush or Dwarf. — ^These varieties are available for ship- 
ping in the green state, if packed in a manner to prevent 
heating. 

It has generally been conceded that beans, especially 
the white or pea bean, will grow where the land is too 
poor to produce anything else ; but these, like all other 
vegetables, will amply repay good treatment. 

Soil and Preparation.— Select a piece of warm land, 
rather light than otherwise ; apply twenty two-horse loads 
of stable manure plowed in, or one thousand pounds of 
bone-flour, or five hundred pounds of guano, harrowed in. 



BEAN. 47 

They may "bo manured in the row with good compost 
or well-rotted manure in liberal quantities, but broadcast 
manuring is preferable. Plow and harrow thoroughly, to 
make the soil fine and free from lumps. 

FlaHtin^ aad Cultivating. — Mark out furrows about 
four inches deep, two and a half feet apart for the smaller 
and three feet for the strong-growing varieties, and plant 
from three to six inches apart in the rows, according to 
the variety. One to one and a half bushel will plant an 
acre. The season of planting is after all danger of frost 
is jDast, usually about the middle of May in this latitude, 
and at intervals until August, which is the time for plant- 
ing what are called " Pickling Beans," used for salting 
down for winter. 

These usually bring as good prices as any, except, per- 
haps, the very earliest, and some seasons they are scarce 
and high. For this purpose the Refugee is principally 
used. In growing for seed, it is best to plant in the 
first of the season, though they will ripen if sown early in 
July, but the product will not be so heavy. Work with 
the cultivator and hoe, and at the final hoeing draw a 
little earth to the plants, as beans, like peas, produce 
longer and more abundantly by having the roots well 
covered. 

Preparing for Market. — When marketed green tliey 
should be gathered as the beans begin to swell in the 
pods, or a little more than half-grown, never washed, nor 
yet allowed to become wilted, and shipped in crates or 
barrels well ventilated, to prevent heating. They are 
usually sold by the bushel. 

Seed. — The manner of growing for seed is the same as 
for marketing green. 

When the pods are nearly dry, the plants must be 
pulled by the roots, and laid in rows for one or two days, 
and turned over each day, when they may be thrashed, 



48 FAKM-GAEDENIXG AXD SEED-GROWING. 

selecting a dry time, and being careful to avoid breaking 
with the flail. Heavy rains on them after they are pulled 
are apt to injure the color and brightness of the seed, 
hence it is essential to avoid this, if any way possible. 
After thrashing, spread thin in a loft for two weeks or 
more, wlien they may be passed through the fan-mill, and 
stored in bags or barrels, until required for shipping. 
They will be much improved in appearance by sifting 
with No. 5 sieve and removing all imperfect grains by 
hand. 

They retain their vitality two years. 

Varieties. — The varieties are numerous, and I vf ill only 
describe some of the leading sorts. 

Early Valentine. — Plant compact and upright, rather 
dwarf; pods short and round; seeds oblong, sometimes 
irregular, color pale pink, variegated with bright pink and 
occasionally white streaks or spots ; eighteen hundred of 
them will measure one quart. One of the most produc- 
tive of the dwarfs, and perhaps the best early variety 
for using in the green state. 

Early Mohawk. — Plant strong and vigorous, a strag- 
gling grower ; pods long and flattened ; seeds large and 
flattened, color dull purple, variegated with drab and 
brown; fifteen hundred of them will measure a quart. 
Not so early as the Valentine, but more hardy and quite 
productive. 

Early Cllina. — Plant compact and upright, dwarf; 
pods short and round, seeds short, thick, and round, white 
with distinct red eye ; seventeen hundred of them will 
measure a quart. Avery fine bean to use in the dry state, 
the only objection being the color of the eye, which 
S2)oils the looks when cooked. 

Early Ncwington Wonder. — Plant tall and vigorous, 
sometimes inclined to run ; pods small, seeds small, flat- 



BEAN. 49 

tened, drab yellow, brown at the eye. Over three thou- 
sand are required to measure one quart. 

Refugee, or 1,000 to 1. — Late and very prolific; plant 
very large and tall, inclined to run; pods long and round ; 
seeds long and thin, nearly round, drab and purple 
spotted, slightly variegated with dull white ; eighteen 
hundred will measure one quart. One of the very best 
for using in the green state, extensively grown and sold 
late for pickling. 

White Kidney. — ^Plant tall and vigorous ; pods irregu- 
lar ; seeds white, long, and kidney-shaped ; twelve hun- 
dred will measure one quart. 

White Marrow. — Plant tall and branching, inclined to 
run ; pods rather flattened ; seeds white, thick, nearly 
round; fourteen hundred will measure one quart. 

White Soup or Pea Bean. — Plant large, straggling, 
and inclined to run ; pods round ; seeds small, white, ob- 
long. Four thousand of them will measure one quart. 
This and the two preceding varieties are used almost 
wholly in the dry state, and the latter especially ripens 
very unevenly, consequently the vines must be pulled 
when the bulk of the crop is ripe, and laid on boards, or 
hung on fences, etc., to allow the balance to ripen. 



Pole or Running. — The varieties of the Pole-Bean 
are quite numerous, but the well-known Lima is the only 
variety grown to any extent for marketing in this section. 
The other varieties are fully described in all the leading 
works on gardening, and as the manner of cultivation is 
very similar, I will only treat of this one principal vari- 
ety. The soil should be light, warm, and rich. Plow 
and harrow thoroughly; mark out furrows five feet 
apart; place a shovelful of well-rotted manure or com- 
post every three feet in the rows, and thoroughly mix it 
3 



60 FAEM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWIXG. 

with earth, raising a broad, flat hill. In the center of this, 
with the aid of a crow-bar, place a cedar-pole ten feet 
long, firmly set, and about it plant six or eight beans, 
placing the eye downward, and the whole barely under 
ground. These should not be planted until settled warm 
weather, the twentieth of May being considered full 
early in this section. When the plants are up nicely, thin 
to three or four to a hill, and as they advance in growth, 
train them to the poles, bearing in mind that these, like 
almost all vines except the hop, take a course against the 
sun, or from right to left, and will not go any other way. 

They may be forwarded somewhat by planting under 
glass in a cold-frame about the first of May, and transplant- 
ing when the second leaves have formed. When the form 
of the beans can be plainly seen in the pods they are ready 
for market, and may be shipped the same as directed for 
Bush Beans. If grown for seed or for using in the dry 
state, they must remain on the vines until the pods become 
nearly dry ; then pick, spread thin in a loft, and when 
perfectly dry, place in bags; thrash carefully, and avoid 
heavy blows whereby the seed might be split and spoiled. 
The seed is easily separated from the chaff by the wind, 
and readily cleaned with a number three sieve. Should 
there be any broken or damaged seeds, they must be re- 
moved by hand. A quart contains six hundred beans. 
They retain their vitality two years. 

The poles, if properly stored, may be used a great 
many years. 

BEET. 

The finer kinds of beets:, or such as are used for culi- 
nary purposes, can be profitably grown within one hun- 
dred miles of our leading markets, or at twice that 
distance where there is direct communication by water. 
They will not produce as heavily as the coarser kinds, yet 



BEET. 51 

a bushel of beets can be grown quite as cheaply as a 
busiiel of potatoes, and will yield fourfold, averaging 
one year with another, and they always command a fair 
price during the fall and winter and early spring months. 
Sometimes the prices rule A'cry high, and in case of low 
prices they can be fed out or sold for that purpose to ad- 
vantage. It is astonishing how little attention is paid to 
the cultivation of beets ibr feeding by the farmers of this 
country when they can be raised with so little trouble, 
and the larger varieties yield so enormously. They are 
very nutritious and healthful for stock, coming in use as 
they do in the absence of all green or laxative food, 
which is quite as essential for stock, especially cattle, as 
for mankind. 

Soil and Preparation. — The soil best adapted to beets 
is a deep, rich, sandy loam. The land should be plowed 
in the fall if possible, and in the spring have a dressing 
of at least twenty two-horse loads of stable-manure to 
the acre, which should be plowed in, or one thousand 
pounds of bone-flour, or five hundred pounds of guano, 
harrowed in. The ground should be deeply plowed, 
finely harrowed and back-harrowed, and if not then free 
from lumps, be raked by hand. 

Sowing and Cultivating. — The land being prepared, 
stretch the line, and mark with the fifteen-inch marker 
rows about an inch and a half deep. Sow the seed at the 
rate of four pounds to the acre for main crop, or six 
pounds when sown very early, as the spring frosts may 
destroy a part of the first sown, and cover by raking 
lengthwise with the rows. For early, sow almost as soon 
as the ground can be worked, and from then until the 
first of June. I have known them to do well sown as 
late as July, but consider the first part of May the best 
time to put in the main crop. 

When the plants are fairly up, use the push-hoe close 



52 PARM-GARDEXIXG AiN^D SEED-GROWING. 

to the rows, after which thin by hand to four inches for 
early, or six inches for late crop. 

Those pulled out from the very early crops are sold by 
gardeners in market as " beet-greens,." and usually bring 
more than enough to pay the labor of thinning. After 
thinning, work deeply with a pronged hoe, and but little 
more labor will be required, and this only on late crops, 
which may need a further push-hoeing, and possibly some 
hand-weeding again, but a narrow push-hoe must be used, 
and care taken to avoid cutting the growing root, which 
would cause it to burst or crack open, and thus be spoiled. 
To grow for feeding stock, the same preparation of soil is 
essential. Mark out rows thirty inches apart ; sow evenly, 
and thin to ten inches in the row; this is, of course, pre- 
suming that the large varieties will be grown, they being 
the most profitable for such purposes. Here the ground 
may be worked with a cultivator, and the thinning done 
in a great measure by the hoe. It will be advantageous 
to run the push-hoe along each side of the row before the 
plants are large enough to admit the use of the cultiva- 
tor, and thus destroy the weeds in the germ. Some re- 
commend the plan of furrowing out rows three feet apart, 
filling with rotted manure, and sowing on a ridge formed 
by covering the manure deeply with earth, raking the 
top before sowing. This plan answers where the land has 
been but sliallow worked, but where the condition of the 
soil will admit of deep plowing, or moderately so, the 
system of broadcast manuring and sowing on a level sur- 
face will be found the best. 

Preparing for Market, — Early-sown beets are usually 
pulled when about two inches in diameter. All super- 
fluous leaves and fibrous roots are cut away ; the bulbs or 
roots are carefully washed singly with a soft brush, and 
tied in flat bunches of five to seven. The main crop is 
usually harvested about the middle of October, some- 
times later, but they must not be allowed to become 



BEET. 53 

frosted, as in that case they would be very liable to rot. 
Twist the tops off by hand, and no further preparation is 
necessary to fit them for market, as beets sold in bulk are 
never washed. They may be marketed in bulk at any 
time during the summer when the leaves begin to 
dry away, and from thence until the following May. 
Stored beets, especially towards spring, will start to 
grow, hence, when they are then marketed, the sprouts 
must be removed, and at the same stroke of the hand 
remove all fibrous roots, which will add much to their 
appearance. 

Gathering and Storing.— This process is the same 
whether intended for market or for seed, except, in the 
latter case, instead of wringing off the tops they must be 
cut with a knife, being careful to avoid destroying the 
heart or center germ, as it is this which produces the main 
stalk and best seed. Particular care should also be exer- 
cised lest they become in the least frosted, for they must 
be kept quite late in spring, before setting them out. 
Whether intended for market or for seed, select a dry 
day, pull the beets, laying them in rows, and cut or wiring 
off the tops, as the case may require. 

Handle carefully, and put them away as directed in the 
chapter on " Storing for Winter," except such as may be 
required for fall sales, which may be placed in heaps on 
the surface of the ground, and temporarily covered with 
leaves and earth. 

Seed. — Great pains should be taken in selecting to re- 
serve only such as possess the peculiar marks which dis- 
tinguish the variety. The foliage of beets will assist in a 
great measure to make selections, hence it is well to go 
over the bed, and remove all that show any signs of im- 
purity, before the main crop is pulled. To assist in mak- 
iuGT this selection, I have described the foliai^e of the lead- 
ing varieties. Having pulled and topped the roots as 
above directed, make the selection for seed before they are 



54 FAEM-GAEDENING AND SEED-GEOWING. 

removed from the ground, as this is the best and most 
convenient time. Handle carefully and avoid bruising. 

The pitting, covering, etc., are the same as for marketing. 
The roots for seed-raising should be set out as soon as all 
danger of heavy frost is past, usually about the first of 
May. Beets, to produce prime seed abundantly, require 
rich land, and that which has been manured for a number 
of years is preferable to highly manuring the season of 
planting. When the ground is not already rich, apply 
manure or fertilizers as directed in jDreparing for the crop 
of roots. Plow and harrow thoroughly ; mark out fur- 
rows three feet apart, and set the roots one and a half to 
two feet apart in the rows, covering the whole to the 
crown. The round varieties can be set by making a hole 
with a dibble at the bottom of the furrow, into which the 
tap-root (or tail, as it is erroneously termed) must be 
placed, and the earth pressed to it by means of the dibble. 
The long varieties require the use of a crowbar for open- 
ing a hole, the dibble being used to fasten the earth about 
the root. Care must be exercised in handling not to 
break off or destroy the young sprouts, which will have 
formed while the roots have been stored. It is a good 
plan to plant every fifth row with potatoes, over which to 
walk when gathering the seed, which requires cutting two 
or three times, and by this method two rows can be 
reached from either side, and cut with greater ease, with 
less loss from stripping out, than when grown in a solid 
body. Keep free from weeds until the plants have at- 
tained a hight of about two feet, when the ridging plow 
may be used and the earth drawn to the roots with a hoe. 
After this, in consequence of the plants shading the 
ground, there will be but little chance for the weeds to 
grow, and the earth being over the roots, and against the 
stalks, is a great protection against breaking down by 
wind or storm. 

Where but a few roots are set out to obtain seed for 



BEET. 55 

private use, they may be placed three feet apart each way, 
and the growing stalks supported by stakes. What is 
generally known as the seed, is a combination of from 
three to five irregular grains of a fibrous or woody cha- 
racter, each containing one seed proper ; hence, what is 
termed one seed is in reality capable of producing from 
three to five plants. 

The seed-bearing plant, when fully developed, is about 
four feet in hight, and throws out numerous branches 
from the base to the top of the main stalk, and along 
these branches, the entire length, the seeds are produced, 
and are quite firmly attached ; the larger seeds grow at 
the base, and they gradually become smaller to the tips. 
Pinching the tips of these shoots when the seed is form- 
ing has a tendency to increase its size toward the point 
and make the whole more uniform. When about two 
thirds of the seed on the stalk have become brown and par- 
tially dry, all such stalks should be cut, and it is some- 
times necessary to cut three different times. When the 
stalks have been cut two or three days, the seeds will 
thrash off" quite readily, but if allowed to remain until the 
stalks become dry, these will break up and mix with the 
seed, causing much inconvenience in cleaning; hence, it is 
important, while giving the seed a chance to develop, 
not to allow the stalks to become over-ripe, nor to be too 
long exposed after cutting. The seed is always ripe be- 
fore the stalks are dry. Small lots may be stripped by 
hand, but a quantity can best be removed by thrashing 
with p. flail. When the seeds are separated from the 
stalks, they should be spread thinly, in a loft, for a week 
or more, after which they may be run through the fan- 
mill, and stored in barrels, until wanted for packing, when 
they should again pass through the fan-mill and be 
finished with No. 10 sieve, to remove the sand or dust, 
picking out what sticks there may be, by hand. Beet 
seed retains its vitality seven years. 



56 FAKM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWUS^G. 

VARIETIES. 

£arly Dark Blood Egyptian. — A new variety, of great 
value for bunching ; extra early, very dark blood, flat 
at the top and bottom, much resembling in shape the white 
flat turnip ; small tap-i'oot, and short, very dark leaves. 

Bassano. — Extra early; outside delicate pink; flesh 
pale red, sometimes nearly white, and pink mottled and 
veined; leaves pale red, and red and green mixed, some- 
times entirely pale green, but this shows white flesh, and 
should be discarded in making selections for seed. 

Early Turnip-rooted. — ^A cross between the Bassano 
and the Turnip Blood, favoring the latter, though rather 
earlier, but not so early as the former, which, however, it 
entirely supersedes when it comes to market, which is 
perhaps one week later ; usually rather dark red, some- 
times with a perceptible paleness, more noticeable inter- 
nally than externally, rather flattened at the top, and some- 
what so at the root; prime for early bunching and good 
for winter use ; leaves dark red, occasionally streaked or 
mottled with green. 

Turnip-rooted Blood. — ^A little later than the preced- 
ing, of nearly the same shape, more tapering at the root ; 
very dark blood-red ; leaves very dark red ; the very 
best round beet for winter use or main crop. 

Long Smooth Blood. — Long and smooth, tapering root ; 
leaves, skin, and flesh all very dark red ; grows about one 
half above ground ; the very best winter beet for market. 

Half Long or Pine- Apple. — Evidently a cross between 
the Long Smooth and Turnip Blood ; rather rounded at 
the top and tapering to the root ; leaves, skin, and flesh 
very dark blood-red. 

The foregoing are the leading market varieties, and 
below are mentioned the best of the large kinds, such as 
are usually grown for feeding stock. 



BROCCOLI CABBAGES. 57 

White Sugar. — Skin and flesh white ; leaves pale green ; 
long irregular thick root, growing much out of ground. 

Yellow Sog^ari — Same as the preceding, except as to 
color. 

Red Mangel-wurzel.— Skin, flesh, and leaves pale red ; 
long, moderately even in form, quite thick at the root, and 
grows much above ground. 

Yellow Mangel-wurzel.— Same as the above except as 
to color, and generally more irregularly formed. 

BROCCOLI. 

So closely allied to cauliflower that I prefer to pass it by, 
and merely make mention here of the leading varieties — 
namely : White Cape, Purple Cape, and Early Walcheren. 
Culture the same as cauliflower. 

CABBAGES. 

This with market-gardeners is an important crop, and 
with those about New York, the principal one, as by their 
method of culture they bring the crop very early into 
market, thus commanding good prices, and land is cleared 
off in time to admit of a second crop the same season. 
The better to be understood by my readers, and to do 
greater justice to the subject, I will divide it into two 
parts. 

Early Cabbages. 

Soil and Preparation. — The soil best adapted for early 
cabbages is a good, strong, retentive loam, and that with 
a fair proportion of sand can be used to good advantage, 
provided the subsoil is not too gravelly or porous ; still it 
is not advisable to use very light soil, nor yet that which 
is very heavy or clayey, and which has a tendency to pack 
3* 



68 FARM-GAKDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

or bake. The land should be plowed and harrowed in the 
fall, and if not in a very high state of fertility, a liberal 
dressing of manure or coarse bone may be turned under at 
that time to good advantage. 

Plow again in the spring, turning under thirty two-horse 
loads of stable manure to the acre for wide planting, when 
more is to be applied directly to the plant, to fifty or sixty 
loads for close cropping. In tlie absence of stable-manure, 
apply to the acre one ton of coarse bone in tlie fall, and 
one tone of bone-flour or one half a ton of guano, in the 
spring, harrowed in, or where only enough manure can be 
had for applying direct to the plants in wide planting, use 
one half the quantity of bone and guano, broadcast^ as 
above directed. I much prefer the plan of heavy manuring 
and close planting for this crop. For this purpose mark 
rows thirty inches apart (use the fifteen-inch marker and 
plant on every other mark), and set the plants sixteen 
inches in the rows, which will require about thirteen thou- 
sand plants to the acre. When grown wide, the land 
should be lightly furrowed out three feet each way, a half 
shovelful of well-rotted manure or compost placed w^here 
the furrows cross, and thoroughly mixed with the soil by 
means of a hoe, and the surface gently pressed. Five 
thousand plants will set an acre planted in this way. By 
either method, prepare the ground immediately preceding 
the planting, by a thorough plowing and harrowing, 
and smooth the surface with the back of the harrow. 

Sowing Seed and Growing the Plants. — Cabbage 
seed germinates quite readily, and there is but little art 
in sowing it; still, painstaking in preparing the soil, 
covering, etc., thus giving each seed a chance, will 
insure a greater number of plants from a given 
quantity of seed, than if carelessly sown. To get 
the crop off early, and to grow early cabbages in 
perfection, the seed should be sown in the fall, and the 
plants wintered over, as directed in the chapter on cold- 



. CABBAGES. 59 

frames. This sowing requires some judgment, as it is 
quite important to have the plants of good size, the better 
to withstand the winter, and yet they must not be over- 
laroe, lest, when j)lanted out in the spring, many of them 
will run to seed, instead of j^roducing heads. 

About New York the plants are mostly pricked out in 
the cold-frames by or before the twentieth of Novem- 
ber. When cold-frames are not used, plants may be had 
quite early, by sowing the seed in a hot-bed made as de- 
scribed in the chapter on hot-beds, and using about three 
inches of earth over the manure. 

But very little heat is required to germinate cabbage seed, 
and if the bed is very hot, the plants will grow up slim 
and spindly, hence great pains must be taken to temper 
the bed before sowing, and give an abundance of air while 
the plants are growing, whenever the weather will admit 
of it. The work of airing can not be regulated by any 
fixed rule, as hot-beds are made at a season of repeated and 
often sudden changes, and hence they require almost con- 
stant attention. A thermometer set in the center of a bed 
should range from fifty to sixty degrees for cabbage- 
plants. Here we generally sow in hot-beds about the first 
of March, which gives us plants about the tenth of April ; 
and I would here remark, that it is much better to sow the 
seed say six weeks or more in advance of the anticipated 
time of transplanting, and grow them slowly and strong, 
than to defer sowing until late, and then have to force them 
along, thus making them weak and tender, and unable to 
endure the sudden changes of the spring weather. It is 
well to remove the sashes entirely from the bed a few 
days before transplanting, leaving the plants exposed 
night and day (except in case of very severe cold or heavy 
storm, when they may be temporarily replaced), and thus 
harden them off", that the change may not be too great. 
The surface should be raked level, and the seed sprinkled 
even and thin, broadcast — two ounces being sufficient for 



60 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

a four-sash frame, and will produce about six thousand 
plants — covering lightly with sifted soil, gently pressing 
with a shovel, and sprinkling with lukewarm water 
at evening. A good wetting when they are to be 
pulled for transplanting will soften the ground, and cause 
the earth to adhere to the roots, and be a general benefit 
to the plants. 

Planting and Cultivating^. — I have already stated the 
plants should be set sixteen inches apart in the rows, bat 
a variation of an inch or two either way, will not make 
any material difference. When desirable to have them 
exact, use a marked pole, as directed in the chapter on 
transplanting. Whether -wintered in a cold-frame or 
grown in hot-beds, the plants should be set out as early 
in the spring as circumstances will admit of, and those 
from the cold-frame may be transplanted just as soon as 
the ground can be worked, as they will not be injured by 
possible subsequent severe weather, provided they are set 
deep and the roots firmly fastened. These are two very 
important points, more fully explained in the chapter on 
transplanting, and alike applicable to either cold-frame or 
hot-bed plants. The plants will soon take root, when the 
harrow-cultivator may be run between the rows, and the 
ground about the plants deeply loosened and made fine, 
being careful, of course, not to disturb the roots. Just 
before they begin to form heads, the large-toothed culti- 
vator should pass between the rows, and the hoe again 
used as before, which is ordinarily all the attention they 
will require. 

Cutting and Marlieting. — As a general rule, as is well 
known, a " cabbage head " should be solid to be marketable, 
or in fact to be eatable, but about New York those who are 
fortunate enough to have it well advanced very early, not 
unfrequently cut a few loads of such as are only an apology 
for " heads," which bring large prices. When the main 



CABBAGES. 61 

crop comes in, it is important that the heads should he fully 
grown and solid. Cabbages should always, if possible, be 
cut very early in the morning, before the sun can wilt 
the leaves, as tl)ey then come to market looking fresh 
and plump. Unlike late cabbages, the early kinds should 
be cut with several leaves about the head, which gives 
them a much larger and better appearance. When near a 
market the heads are loaded in bulk, snugly and compact- 
ly, into wagons, and either sold from the wagon to retailers 
or left with a commission dealer for the same purpose. 
They can be shipped in crates or barrels, well ventilated, 
but must not be long packed, as they are very liable to 
heat. 

Seed. — Growing the seed of early cabbages is attended 
with serious difficulties, the chief of which is to produce 
the heads at a season entirely adverse to their nature. 

I sow three separate times, and as near as may be the 
first, tenth, and twentieth of June, in the same manner as 
directed for growing late cabbage plants, except owing to 
the season I choose a moist piece of ground, and in the 
absence of rain resort to watering every evening until 
the plants are up, and occasionally thereafter. When the 
plants are large enough to handle, they may be set out, 
but at this season of the year transplanting is not always 
practicable, hence my reason for making three different 
sowings, in hopes that Ave may be favored with rain at 
such time as one lot or the other will be in condition to 
set out. A piece of land on which has been grown peas, 
spinach, or other early-maturing crop is used, being 
plowed, harrowed, and marked out all ready for such time 
as the rain may come. The land is well manured, broad- 
cast, for the first crop in anticipation of the second, hence 
no further manuring is necessary, and in fact I have found 
that early cabbages grown late, in over-rich ground, are 
apt to be tender, and do not preserve so well over winter 
as when less stimulated. Whenever the weather will per- 



62 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

mit, the jDlants are set out, in the same manner as directed 
for sprmg planting, and worked the same way. 

I always wish to get at least a part of the early-sown 
plants set out, as tbey get fully headed, and give a chance 
for a very choice selection for stock seed, while the 
second or last sown, in consequence of not being quite so 
hard-headed, generally winter the best, but it requires a 
more experienced eye to select from those half-headed than 
from such as are fully developed. 

The selections must be made according to the color, size, 
shape, and general characteristics of the variety. About 
the first of November another plot of ground is taken— 
one which has just been cleared of a crop and was well 
manured in the spring, as I find that cabbage seed does 
better on such than on freshly-manured land. This is deep- 
ly plowed, harrowed, and quite deep furrows marked out, 
four feet apart. The choice cabbages from the bed are 
placed in these furrows, eighteen inches apart, and laid 
parallel with the furrows, at an angle of forty-five degrees, 
always, if possible, with the head to the north, that the 
stalk, which is the most tender part, may be the better pro- 
tected. The earth is drawn in abundantly, and pressed 
over the root and stalk, and partially over the leaves, which 
are gathered about and over the head. 

Nothing more is required until the approach of severe 
weather, Avhen with plow and hoe the earth must be 
drawn over the whole, abundantly over the stalk, and 
firmly pressed, and sufficiently over the head to protect it 
from alternate freezing and thawing rather than from the 
frost. As early in the spring as the ground can be worked, 
the soil must be removed from the heads by plowing 
away, and carefully using the hoe ; and the outer leaves of 
the head proper be separated, to allow the heart or center 
germ or shoot to come through, being very careful not to 
injure the germ, as this is the all-important part in pro- 
ducing seed. Cultivate and hoe, and when the plants ai*e 



CABBAGES. 63 

eighteen to twenty-four inches high, throw the earth to 
them for support ; or what is better still, tie to stakes, but 
avoid bunching the branches ; a very convenient plan is 
to place stakes twelve feet apart along every row, and 
from one to the other firmly stretch tarred marline or 
spun yarn, to which the stalks may be attached by bass- 
mat or other flat strings. This marline may be preserved 
and used many seasons. 

Another plan which I have tried successfully is to mark 
out deep furrows, four feet apart, running north and south, 
in which a light dressing of very rotten manure is placed, 
and with a hoe thoroughly mixed with the soil at the bot- 
tom of the furrow, and the plants from the second or third 
sowing, set therein, eighteen inches apart ; in the fall all 
impure heads taken out, the remainder, without being 
pulled, bent over and treated in all further respects the 
same as by the. plan above described. 

Another jolan, and the one best adapted for preserving 
solid heads, is to put them away as hereinafter described 
for " late cabbage," or to heel them in thick in a cold- 
frame, cover with shutters, and set them out and cultivate 
the same as " late cabbage " for seed, under which head I 
also give directions for harvesting and cleaning the seed, 
which operation is the same with early and late. 

Varieties. — The varieties of early cabbage are numer- 
ous, but there are very few in general cultivation, and 
I will only notice such as are in favor with market-gar- 
deners. 

Early Jersey Wakefield. — On account of the attention 
this variety is now attracting, a brief history of it may not 
be amiss here. It was first grown in this country l)y my 
uncle, Francis Brill, then of Jersey City, N. J., and by 
him received from England under the name it still bears, 
about thirty years ago, and proved to be the best early 
cabbage of that time, as it is still there, and wherever 



64 FAKM-GAEDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

tried in the vicinity of New York City, and is becoming 
more popular every year. It was adopted by my uncle, my 
father, and the few other gardeners about Jersey City at 
that time, as the standard sort, and from it they grew 
seed from year to year. 

In the course of time, wishing to renew the stock, they 
sent to Europe direct, as well as through the seedsmen of 
New York, for a fresh supply of seed of the Wakefield, 
but what they received then and repeatedly since, under 
that name, was not the genuine article. In consequence 
of its having been so long grown from the one stock, it is 
now more irregular in form than originally, rather im- 
proved in size, full as early as ever, and now as then the 
favorite with all Jersey gardeners, as well as those of Long 
Island and elsewhere about New York, and it is gaining 
friends wherever it is introduced. 

Head large, conical, sometimes rather rounded or flat- 
tened ; leaves sea-green ; stalk short. In selecting for 
seed, take only such as have pointed heads of good size, 
compact leaves, and short stalks. 

Early York. — Head of medium size, roundish ovoid, 
close, and well formed, of a deep green color; but few 
loose leaves, comparatively smooth on the surface ; short 
stalks. 

Large Early York. — Very much the same as the 
" Early York," except being larger ; same shape ; thicker 
head. 

Early Ox-Heart. — Head large, conical; leaves com- 
pact, light green ; stalk short. 

Early Flat Dutch. — A cross between the Ox-Heart 
and Large Flat Dutch. Heads large, round, very solid ; 
leaves sea-green, rather spreading ; stalk remarkably short. 
A fine second early variety. Plants usually grown in 
hot-beds. If kept in cold-frames over winter are very 
liable to run to seed, unless they are small and bedded late. 



CABBAGES. 65 

Early WmningStadt. — Second early. Heads large, com- 
pact, very pointed ; smooth, bright, glossy green leaves ; 
stalk rather short. 

Late Cabbages. 

They are not generally grown by market-gardeners in the 
immediate vicinity of New York, as it would not pay 
them near so well as the early, and, moreover, a second 
crop could not be taken from the ground the same year. 
They are, however, grown extensively on Long Island, 
partly M'ithin carting distance of New York, and a con- 
siderable quantity is sent in from different places by rail- 
road and vessels. 

The soil and climate of Long Island seem to suit them, 
and some of the finest cabbages I ever saw were grown 
in this section. 

In any farming district where late cabbages will suc- 
ceed well, they are worthy the attention of farmers ; for 
it not unfrequently happens that in the city markets dur- 
ing the fall and winter months they bring very high 
prices, and almost always sell high enough to insure 
profit to the grower ; but in case of a glut, and consequent 
low prices, they can be used for feeding stock, and are 
very valuable for that purpose. 

Soil and Preparation. — The remarks on soil in refer- 
ence to early cabbage are equally applicable to the late 
varieties. The preparation must, however, necessarily 
be quite different, as the late kinds would not pay for 
such liberal quantities of manure as are bestowed upon 
the early crop, nor yet do they require it. Late cabbages 
are grown as a second crop, following early potatoes, 
peas, spinach, etc., where such things are grown for 
market, and succeed admirably on inverted clover-sward. 
On clover-sward or other good land, a dressing of twenty 
two-horse loads of good stable-manure to the acre, plowed 



66 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

in, one thousand jDounds of bone-flour, or six hundred 
pounds of guano, harrowed in, will bring a good crop ; but 
in the case of stable-manure, if more is at hand, it can be 
used to advantage, and will be a great benefit to the suc- 
ceeding crop. Land heavily manured for the first crop 
will require but little more to bring this one. 

A dressing of ashes will also be beneficial, and will 
have a tendency to destroy the grubs. After plowing, 
the ground should be well harrowed, smoothed with the 
back of the harrow, and rows marked out three feet 
apart. For wide planting, the ground may be furrowed 
out, and manured in the angles as advised for early cab- 
bages. Tliis planting has to be done in midsummer — 
usually the first part of July — and it is quite necessary to 
have the ground all marked out and ready for rainy 
weather, which at this season is apt to be of short dura- 
tion, and must be taken advantage of 

Sowing Seed and Growing the Plants.— The seed 
should be sown the first part of May. It is advisable to 
sow on the fifth and fifteenth for the main crop, using 
plenty of seed each time to be sure of a full supply of 
plants, allowing one ounce of seed for three thousand 
plants, and if there is any surplus, there is generally a 
demand for them, or at least enough can be sold to pay 
the expense of raising. The first sown, if planted early 
in July, will be headed in the fall, and the later ones 
answer for winter use, as they keep much better than very 
hard heads. The seed may be sown broadcast, but I pre- 
fer to mark rows ten inches apart, and an inch and a half 
deep, on a piece of moderately rich light soil, well pre- 
pared, in which the seed is deposited rather thinly, and 
covered by raking in. As soon as the young plants begin 
to break the soil, sprinkle the bed with air-slaked shell 
lime, which is to be repeated again when they are nicely 
up, to prevent the ravages of an insect generally known 
as the cabbage flea. This must not be neglected, or the 



CABBAGES. 67 

entire crop may be speedily destroyed, as they are very 
destructive, and at times very numerous at this season of 
the year. (See chapter on Insects.) 

Planting and Cultivating?, — The directions given under 
this head in the article on Early Cabbages apply also to 
these, except the distance. 

The rows being already marked three feet apart, the 
plants should be set two feet in the rows, requiring seven 
thousand two hundred and sixty to an acre ; or at the 
angles where the manure has been placed and prepared, 
requiring nearly five thousand plants for the same 
amount of land. The planting, as I have before stated, 
should be done in wet weather ; but it frequently happens 
that the rains at this season are not sufficient to thor- 
oughly wet the earth, hence we have to resort to "pud- 
dling," which is described in the chapter on transplanting. 
They should be set out in July, though if in very rich 
soil, a good proportion will head if set so late as the first 
of August. 

It often happens there is a scarcity of cabbages in 
market between the seasons for late and early, and those 
who are far-seeing enough to have an intermediate crop, do 
well by it. The Large Flat Dutch is a good variety for 
this purpose, and may be sown at any time after the 
ground opens in the spring, and if a person should sow 
three different times, for instance, the first, tenth, and 
twentieth of April, and from each sowing plant a bed 
there would be a chance to make a good hit on' at least 
one lot, and do well on all, and the plants would be ready 
at a time when a piece of growing clover could be 
turned under, and a good crop grown with little or no 
manure. This variety is also used for sowing in hot- 
beds, and occasionally for keeping over winter in cold- 
frames, and by planting early succeeds the early varieties 
when the market is not glutted, and sometimes sells at 
very high prices. 



68 FARM-GAKDENING AND SEED-GEOWING. 

The cultivation of this variety is the same in these 
cases as when grown for winter. 

Cutting and Marketing. — The large or late kinds of 
cabbage should always be solid, and their fitness for 
market may readily be determined by pressing the hand 
on each head. 

They should be cut without any superfluous leaves 
when sent to a city market, but in villages where people 
have room for the purpose, most persons prefer to buy 
them in quantity with the roots and leaves attached, that 
they may be buried and taken out as occasion may re- 
quire. I might here add that it is customary for garden- 
ers to allow dealers four heads extra to every one hun- 
dred, and they in turn allow thirteen to the dozen. 

This rule applies generally to all vegetables growing 
above ground, but not as a rule to roots which groAV 
below. 

Storing for Winter. — Cabbages for using or marketing 
in winter may be put away the same as when intended 
for seed, described hereafter, but a much easier and quite 
as good a plan, where the head only is to be preserved, is 
to make a double row, setting the heads close together on 
the ground, roots upward, throwing one or two furrows 
to them on each side, lightly covering and ridging with a 
spade. 

Seed. — Late varieties of cabbage, for seed, are grown 
in their regular season, in the same manner as for market, 
and as a general rule the crop is more certain than with 
the early kinds ; hence, the stock of seed is generally 
abundant, and prices are not so high. It is a good idea 
to have late cabbages planted early, to make a choice 
selection for stock seed ; but for the main crop, that which 
is planted about the twentieth of July, in moderately rich 
soil, will keep the best, and be sufficiently advanced to 
make a pure selection. The selections must be made ac- 
cording to the characteristics of the variety, the same as 



CABBAGES. 69 

with the early kinds. It may happen that in cutting cab- 
bages, either early or late, there may be some extra choice 
heads from which one would desire to grow seed, but 
from the earliness of the season and the ripeness of the 
heads it could not be done in the usual form, as they 
would not keep until spring. To accomplish this, when 
the said heads are cut, make a mark with the knife across 
the top of the stump, and afterwards dig all such stumps 
and heel them in until fall, when they may be bedded the 
same as heads. This is known as " stump seed," and 
while no perceptible difference may be seen in the crop 
grown from it one year only^ yet experience has proven 
that in time it will deteriorate, and the only way to pro- 
duce prime cabbage-seed is to grow it directly from the 
head. I never put the heads away where the seed is to 
grow, as with early cabbage, but prefer to lay them away 
in a bed. 

The latter part of November choose a dry piece of 
ground running north and south ; run a double furrow, 
throwing up a ridge a foot and a half high. On the east 
side of the ridge, commencing on the south end, lay the 
cabbages in a single row, well up to the top of the ridge, 
and packed close together. While one man is laying 
them in, another must come behind spading the earth 
over the roots and stalks, firmly treading it down, while 
still another follows, throwing more dirt over the roots, 
pressing it firmly with the foot, filling well under the 
heads with fine soil, covering the root and stalk about six 
inches, and leaving the earth in the form of a ridge, as in 
the beginning. This operation is continued until seven 
rows are in, each row a trifle lower than the preceding 
one, so that when the whole is complete there may be 
descent enough to carry off the water. The earth is 
firmly pressed against the back of the first row, fine poih 
put in from each side between the rows, suflEicient to make 
the surface even, leaving the tops of the heads exposed. 



70 FAKM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

The main point is to protect the stalk at junction with 
the head, as it is here the most sensitive to cold, and must 
be well covered. 

The bed is then banked up, back, front, and ends, to a 
depth of two feet, or more, and so left until cold weather, 
when it must be covered with coarse hay, straw, stalks, or 
brush, lightly, not as a protection against freezing, but to 
prevent alternate freezing and thawing. As soon as the 
ground can be worked in the spring the cabbages must 
be set out, the heads opened, and in all other waj^s 
managed as directed for early cabbages, except that they 
will not require space and earth for ridging, as those 
planted in the fall. The rows may be only three feet apart, 
but it is well to give plenty of room, to avoid the intertwin- 
ing of the branches, and prevent loss of seed, by stripping 
out in harvesting. 

In any event avoid exposing the stalks to the sun, by 
covering them, as well as the roots, with earth. When 
the seed is ripe, which may be known by the pods turn- 
ing yellow, and eventually becoming dry, the stalks must 
be cut off and laid on the ground for a day or two to dry. 
It is best to gather it when the pods are yellow, for if 
allowed to remain until they are dry, the seeds lose color 
and shrivel up. It will be necessary to make three cut- 
tings to secure a crop in prime order. After the stalks 
have lain long enough to cause the seed to shell readily 
from the pods, they can be removed on cloths, or if a large 
quantity is to be handled use a high-box wagon, covering 
the sides and bottom with cloths to prevent loss. Carry 
it to the thrashing floor. But little labor will be required 
to thrash it out ; in fact, the most will shell in the wagon 
while loading, and care must here be exercised or much 
may be lost. 

When thrashed, remove the stalks, run through the fan- 
mill, and lay the seed away on cloths, in a loft, for a 
fortnight, to dry, after which it may again be passed 



CABBAGES. 71 

through the fan-mill, and finally cleaned with a No. 18 
sieve. 

Cabbage seed retains its vitality four years. 

Varieties. — As with the early, so with the late cabbage, 
the varieties are numerous, and I will only describe such 
as are generally cultivated. 

Large Flat Dutch. — Heads large, very broad, and flat, 
not very thick in proportion; color light green or nearly 
white at maturity ; outer leaves whitish green, not 
numerous, but somewhat spreading in rich ground ; stalk 
short. A sub-variety of this, known as the "Premium 
Flat Dutch," has heads more oval at the top, and leaves 
of dark green. The former is preferred by gardeners. 

American Drumhead. — Heads very large, rounding at 
the top, very thick, tinged above with purple ; leaves 
dark green, profuse and spreading; stalk rather long. 
Considered the best variety to grow for feeding stock. 

Bergen Drumhead. — Heads large, compact, and round- 
ing at the top ; leaves rather small, compact, and, as well 
as the head, distinctly marked with purple ; stalk short. 
A valuable variety for keeping over winter. 

Green Curled Savoy, — Head small, yellowish green, 
very compact and solid, nearly round, a little pointed at 
the top ; leaves small, few, and compact, dark green ; 
stalk' short. May be planted closer than the Drumheads 
or Flat Dutch. 

Drumhead Savoy. — Similar to the above in most re- 
spects ; head large, and flattened at the top ; leaves rather 
more spreading. The Savoys are the best keepers and de- 
cidedly the finest flavored of all cabbages, not as exten- 
sively grown as their good qualities warrant, but gain- 
ing popularity every year. 

Red Dutch. — Head medium size, round, extremely 
solid ; leaves few, and, like the head, in color very dark 
red or purple ; stalk moderately short. Used for pickling, 



72 FAEM-GAEDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

and for this purpose usually in fair demand, and prime 
heads always command good prices. 

Twrnip-rooted or Kohl-Rabi. — This is intermediate 
between the cabbage and turnip, and though classed with 
the former has more the appearance of the latter. The 
stalk just above the ground swells out, forming a round 
fleshy bulb, from which the leaves start separatel}^, and 
the whole has much the appearance of a Ruta-Baga turnip. 
It can be sown in cold-frames as soon as the cabbage 
plants are removed, and transplanted to the open ground 
when large enough to handle, about eighteen inches apart 
each way. For late crop they are sown in June, and 
transplanted as above, or may be sown in rows and 
thinned out, which is preferable to transplanting in hot 
weather. In either case they require rich soil, and to be 
well worked. In marketing, the root and superfluous 
leaves are cut away, and three or four bulbs tied in a flat 
bunch. 

The seed is obtained by preserving the bulbs and roots 
over winter in a cellar or pit, and transplanting in the 
spring, cultivating the same as directed for Ruta-Baga. 

CAULIFLOWER. 

Where this vegetable does well, there is certainly no 
crop which will pay a larger profit. For the past two 
years the farmers of the east end of Long Island, espe- 
cially about the village of Mattituck, have planted largely 
of cauliflower, being incited by the successful experiments 
of some who have removed here from the west end, who 
were formerly engaged in growing vegetables for New 
York markets. The past season the crop has succeeded 
admirably, and large profits have been realized by growers 
in this vicinity, and this by men many of whom are inex- 
perienced in the cultivation of this or any other vegetable 
for market, and moreover the most of it was grown at the 



CAXTLIFLOWER. 73 

worst possible season of the year. As a general rule cau- 
liflowers do not succeed well on old land, and much of 
the land hereabouts id new, and but very little of it in- 
deed has ever been used for cabbages or anything of this 
nature. But, beyond a doubt, it is the humid, saline at- 
mosphere of this section, which makes the cultivation of 
this vegetable a success. Protracted drouths are here al- 
most unknown, and even during the temporary absence of 
rain in the summer months, the air does not seem so dry 
and withering, so to speak, as in sections more remote 
from the ocean, the Sound, and the great salt-water bays 
by which we are surrounded. 

Soil and Preparation. — Cauliflowers require a deep, 
strong, and rich soil to be grown in perfection, and that 
which has been recently broken up, or at least upon which 
no cabbages, turnips, nor anything of this nature has been 
grown, or has been for some time seeded down, is prefer- 
able to land long tilled. The soil should be prepared and 
the crop cultivated as directed for early cabbages. The 
early dwarf varieties may be set thirty by eighteen inches, 
but the leading growers here seem to think they will not 
blight so readily when planted wide, and recommend set- 
ting the early sorts three feet and the late ones four feet 
apart each way. They, however, do not sow until spring, 
and if the plants are kept over in cold-frames, and trans- 
planted early, as they should be, the dwarf kinds can be 
set out at the first-named distance. The great drawback 
to the successful cultivation of this vegetable in most 
parts of our country, is undoubtedly the heat and drouth 
of our summers, hence it is best to plant very early to get 
ahead of the heat, or otherwise at such time as will bring 
the heading after the intense heat is past. To accomplish 
the first, sow in the fall and keep the plants over winter 
as directed in the chapter on cold-frames, and treat after- 
wards the same as directed for early cabbage. The seed 
of the late varieties may not be sown until near the first 
4 



74 FAKM-GAPwDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

of June, then in the manner directed for sowing seed of 
late cabbages, and the after-cultivation is similar to that for 
this crop. Extra manuring will, however, be very beneficial. 
"When the cold-frame is not at command sow in early hot- 
bed, the same as directed for early cabbages, and endea- 
vor to have the plants grown and hardened by the tunc 
the ground is fit to work, and get them out as early as 
practicable. 

Plants may also be grown by Sowing in the open air, as 
soon as the ground can be worked ; but in the latter case, 
the heads will be forming at midsummer, and there arc 
few sections where they will do well at this season of the 
year. 

Late cauliflowers which have not perfected their heads, 
at the approach of frost may be taken up and thickly 
planted in a forcing-pit, under sashes. Here, by watering, 
airing, and good attention, good heads may be had until 
mid-winter. 

Marketing. — Cauliflowers are sent from here to ISTew 
York by railroad, and generally packed in barrels, but I 
believe latticed boxes of moderate and uniform size would 
be preferable. It is advisable to have them as large and 
fully developed as possible, and yet avoid letting tliem 
burst out or start to seed. 

They should be cut the same as a head of early cabbage, 
and the outer leaves trimmed off evenly, nearly or quite 
down to the head, that the latter may be completely ex- 
posed, and pack so that they may not get bruised. 

Seed. — The seed is mainly procured from Europe, and 
there is but little grown in this country, from the fact that 
our summers are too hot for it. 

If planted very early it will blossom, and some seed will 
set under favorable circumstances, but the surest way is 
to sow in July, transplant, and keep the partially-grown 
heads over winter in a cold-frame or cellar, and set them 



CARROT. 75 

oat early in tlie spring, something similar to our treat- 
ment of early cabbages for the same purpose. 

Varieties. — The Early Erfurt and Early Paris are used 
for first crop ; the Nonpareil and Half-early Paris for suc- 
cession, and the Le Normand and Walcheren for late. 

CARROT. 

This is somewhat extensively grown by market-garden- 
ers, and is a valuable crop for the farm-gardener as well, 
as it can be shipped to distant markets, and besides is 
very useful for feeding, especially for horses and colts, being 
somewhat laxative, assisting digestion, promoting health- 
fulness, and adding much to the appearance of the ani- 
mal. The demand for carrots in cities for feeding j^urposes 
is yearly increasing, and they bring remunerative prices. 
In view of these facts, considering the comparative ease 
with which they can be grown, too much value can not be 
placed on this crop. 

Soil and Preparation. — The carrot succeeds best in a 
loamy soil, rather light than otherwise, and may be grown 
in such as is generally termed sandy land. It does 
not require over-rich soil, and will do full as well on 
land well manured the previous year as when the 
manure is applied at the time of sowing. Twenty two- 
horse loads of stable-manure to the acre, broadcast, plowed 
in, or one thousand pounds of bone-flour, or five hundred 
pounds of guano, harrowed in, will, in naturally good soil, 
be sufficient. The land should be deeply plowed, finely 
and thoroughly harrowed, smoothed with the back of the 
harrow, and if not then free from lumps raked by hand. 

Sowing and Cultivating. — The seed should be sown im- 
mediately after the land is prepared, that it may come in 
contact with the natural moisture, and the more readily 
germinate. For garden culture the row^s should be marked 
out fifteen inches apart, one and a half inch deep, and the 



76 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

entire working done by liand, but where land is plenty 
tlicy may be double that distance, and worked with a cul- 
tivator. In the former case the seed should be sown quite 
thick, and covered by raking in. As soon as the rows can 
be traced, use a push-hoe, cutting close to the plants, and 
when nicely up, they must be thinned to three inches 
apart, and, of course, all weeds removed from the rows ; a 
fortnight after the soil should be loosened by deep hoeing, 
and later the push-hoe may be used, and such weeds in 
the rows as were previously overlooked be pulled by hand. 
In the latter case they are seldom thinned, except by oc- 
casionally cutting out a bunch with one corner of the hoe, 
and by this plan the seed must be thinly sown, and great 
pains taken in preparing the soil and covering the seed, 
lest it will not come up even. I would advise in either 
case that the seed be sown thick (as the germ is weak, 
and does not always come up well when sown thin), and 
afterwards thinned by hand, leaving the plants equi-distant, 
by which means, when harvested, the roots will be more 
uniform in size, and the crop enough heavier to repay the 
extra labor. When grown wide the push-hoe may be 
used to advantage along the rows before the plants nro 
large enough to admit using the cultivator. All subse- 
quent working can be done by horse and hoe, twice going 
over being suflicient in clean land ; and I would here add, 
that crops of this kind should never be sown w^here foul 
seed and weeds abound. For early, the seed may be sown 
as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring, and 
for main crop any time until July. 

Gardeners generally sow in May, following a crop 
of spinach, sprouts, radishes, etc. From two to four 
pounds of seed will be required to an acre, according to 
the distance between the rows. 

Preparing for Market. — Early-sown carrots arc pulled 
when half-grown, trimmed, washed, and tied in flat 
bunches of from four to six. 



CAKEOT. 77 

The main crop is sold by the barrel, and the only pre- 
paration necessary is to remove all fibrous roots, and when 
they have been stored, the sprouts must be cut off, and 
retail dealers prefer to have them washed. When sold 
for feeding or shipping to a distance, they must be dry, 
as they will keep much better. 

Gathering and Storing.— The roots can be taken up 
with a spade, but the quickest plan is to run a plow deeply 
beside the row, and, placing the spade back of the row, 
they can be quite easily pried out. Whether for market- 
ing or for seed the method of storing is the same, and 
should be done according to directions given in the 
chapter on storing for winter. 

The general treatment is the same as for beets, except 
that the tops can be cut off to better advantage than by 
twisting — the same care is necessary to avoid cutting tlie 
hearts, when the roots are intended for seed. The middle 
of November is quite as late as the crop can with safety 
be left in the ground, although the roots will not be ma- 
terially injured by light freezing before they are taken out. 
Seed. — Pains must be taken to make selections for seed, 
true to the variety, which may be done as directed for 
beets. The seed does best in a rather strong loam, moder- 
ately rich. After plowing and harrowing, make rows 
three feet apart with the marker, along which Avith a 
crowbar make holes eighteen inches apart ; place the roots 
therein, the crowns level with the surface, fastening the 
earth firmly against them with a dibble. They should be 
set out about the middle of April or as soon as all danger 
of very severe freezing is past. 

The after-culture is the same as for beets, except that 
ridging is unnecessary, and the same plan of planting 
every fifth row with potatoes will fiicilitate the gathering 
of the seed. The seeds are produced in heads or clusters 
at the extremities of the branches, and ripen unevenly, 
hence they require repeated cuttings. When ripe, which 



78 FAKM-GAKDENING AXD SEEU-GEOWIXG. 

maybe known by the seed changing to a brown color and 
the branches commencing to dry,, the heads must bo cut 
with shears, gathered into a barrel, carried to the loft, and 
spread over the floor. When the crop has all been 
gathered and the whole become thoroughly dry, the 
heads can be removed to the thrashing floor, and thrashed 
with a flail, only hard enough to separate the seed from 
the small sticks which support them, and avoid as much 
as possible breaking these sticks, in order to make the 
cleaning more easy. When thrashed, separate the coarser 
sticks from the seed with a ISTo. 4, and again with a No. 6 
sieve, rubbing the larger seeds through with the hand ; 
place the seed thinly on a large cloth, exposed to the sun, 
and after it has lain so for five or six hours, set a barrel in 
the center ; on this place a No. 8 sieve, through which 
pass the seed by rubbing with the hand, throwing out the 
sticks as they accumulate in the sieve. Repeat this opera- 
tion the following day, this time using No. 10 sieve, 
which will remove the furze or beard, when it may be 
finally cleaned by passing twice through the fan-mill, and 
finished by No. 24 sieve. But a very few years ago it 
was believed that the removal of the furze injured the 
seed, and it was carefully picked out by hand, but expe- 
rience has proved to the contrary, and now not a pound 
of seed is sold in any seed store in this country but that 
which is rubbed clean, in which condition it is more easily 
handled and can be more easily and evenly sown. 
Carrot seed retains its vitality two years. 

Varieties. — There are but Uvo distinct varieties much 
srrown for marketin gt. • 

Early Horn. — This is grown principally for early 
bunching. For main crop, in very shallow soils, it could 
bo grown to better advantage than the long varieties, 
though it would not be so salable, except for feeding pur- 
poses. Root about six inches long, quite thick, and taper- 



CELEilY. 79 

ing al)ru2)tly at tho bottom ; skin and flesh orange yellow; 
folia^je small. 

Loa^ Oraag€, — This is the universal favorite in this 
country for marketing or feeding. Root long and taper- 
ing ; skin and flesh orange-yellow ; foliage strong. 

CELERY. 

This with market - gardeners — especially those about 
Kew York — is one of the main crops, and hundreds of 
thousands of roots are annually grown. It is not a very 
good article for shipping as usually prepared for market, 
but considerable quantities are shipped as taken from the 
ground. 

Soil and Preparation. — Celery will do well in any soil 
between sand and clay, provided it is made very rich and 
thoroughly worked. 

It is grown by market-gardeners as a second crop, after 
cabbages, onions, etc., which are always very heavily 
manured in the Bj)ring, and enough manure is left in the 
soil to bring through tho crop of celery, so that it is 
planted without further manuring ; and in fact, applica- 
tions of manure immediately preceding this crop have a 
tendency to cause the leaves to rust, damaging and even 
destroying the celery for marketing. The method of 
growing celery at the present time is greatly simplified 
over the old style. Then, deep trenches were dug out, 
manure spaded in, and much labor bestowed, uselessly, as 
a comparison with the ftiodern plan will show. After the 
first crop is removed, the laud should be cleared of all 
weeds and refuse, deeply plowed, harrowed fine, and 
smoothed off, and rows made with the marker three feet 
apart for the dwarf, and four feet for the larger kinds. 
These rows should be sunk an inch or two, and made even 
by the face of a hoe-blade drawn along, thus leaving a 
broad and level surface to receive the plants. 



80 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

This preparation, as in the case of land for late cabbages, 
must be made in anticii^ation of rain, as the transplanting 
is done at midsummer, when it not unfrequently happens 
there is but little weather suited to this work ; hence, 
everything must be in readiness to take advantage of the 
first shower. 

SowiDg Seed and Growing Plants.— The seed may be 
sown in a hot-bed or cold-frame, if plants are desired early, 
but for main crop it must be sown in the open air, as 
early in the spring as the ground can be worked. Select 
a piece of rich, mellow soil, a little moist than otherwise ; 
plow a bed four to six feet wide, and any length re- 
quired ; spade this over, mixing in fine well-rotted manure ; 
make the soil fine, rake with a steel rake, making the sur- 
face level and entirely free from lumps or stones. 

Ill sowing, use a board eight or nine inches broad, and as 
long as the bed is wide ; lay the board across the bed, and 
with a small stick or the point of a dibble make a shallow 
mark on each side of it, in which deposit the seed with 
the thumb and finger, thinly and evenly ; turn the board 
over twice, again mark and sow, and so proceed until the 
bed is sown ; then from each side, reaching half-way over 
the bed, draw the back of a spade over each row, at the 
same time pressing the soil ; and this is all the covering 
required. 

If the weather is dry an occasional watering at evening 
will be beneficial. 

An ounce of seed will produce six thousand plants. As 
soon as the plants appear, carefully hoe them, and remove 
all weeds from the rows ; twice hoeing and weeding will 
usually suflice, but do not allow the weeds to get the least 
start. Should the plants be large enough to set out be- 
fore the ground is ready to receive them, the toj^s may be 
shorn ofi", which will make them stouter and prevent 
them from growing spindling. 

Planting and Cultiyating. — ^During the month of July, 



CELERY. 81 

when the weather is suitable, the plants should be set out 
six inches apart in the rows with, a dibble, pressing the 
earth firmly to the roots, and carefully avoid burying the 
hearts. For an acre, about twenty-nine thousand plants 
are required at three feet, and about twenty-two thousand 
at four feet, between the rows. The plants must be care- 
fully pulled from the bed, held evenly in one hand until 
it is full, when the points of the roots and the tops of the 
leaves should be cut off. 

The object of this is to stiffen the root, making the 
work of transplanting the more rapid, and causing the 
young rootlets to form quicker, and by trimming the 
leaves they do not wilt and fall over so easily as when 
whole. The outer leaves eventually die away, as new 
ones are formed from the heart. To facilitate operations, 
one man or a stout boy should be in advance of the 
planters with a basket of plants, handing them out as 
they arc wanted, and another should pull and prepare 
the plants. When transplanted in partially moist ground, 
as after a light shower, it is advisable to "puddle" the 
roots as directed in the chapter on transplanting. In a 
few days the plants will have taken root, when the earth 
may be stirred by a fine rake, drawing it diagonally from 
the rows, thus not only loosening the soil, but destroying 
one crop of weeds, the seeds of which will have already 
started. A week or so later, the push-hoe may be run on 
each side of the rows, and the earth between stirred by 
the harrovz-toothed cultivator. When the plants get 
fairly started, the broad-toothed cultivator may be used, 
and the ground around the plants worked with a hoe, re- 
moving all weeds. 

The growing of celery is at a season when the weed 
known as '' purslane " grows rapidly, and if this once 
gets a start, it will be almost impossible to check it ; 
hence, keeping the ground constantly stirred is of great 
importance. As the plants advance in growth, the earth 
4* 



82 FAKM-GxiKDENIXG AND SEED-GKOWING. 

must be gradually drawn to them, and when they arc 
about twelve or fifteen inches high, a light furrow can be 
thrown tovf ard them on each side preparatory to *' hand- 
ling." This is done by firmly grasping the leaves in one 
hand, and drawing the fine soil to them with the other, 
pressing it against the plant, being careful always not to 
allow the earth to come in contact with the heart. Fol- 
low with the hoe, and draw the fine earth well around 
the plants. This operation causes the plants to grow 
upright and straight, which is of importance when they 
come to be stored. When celery is grown early for using 
in the fall, the same cultivation is required, and in addi- 
tion "banking" must be performed. This follows the 
carthing-up last described as soon as the leaves have 
grown out and commenced sf)reading again. It must bo 
done when the soil is moist enough to compact readily. 

With a spade, cut away the earth nearly perpendicu- 
larly about twelve or fifteen inches from the plants, 
throwing up the soil against the plants, catching it by 
quickly turning the spado, and pressing it firmly. The 
sides may thus be run up or " banked " at intervals, as 
the leaves grow, working the soil about the leaves by tlie 
hand, and gently pressing until the plants have grown to 
full length, or are sufficiently "blanched " below to be fit 
to use. 

This is virtually overground trenching, and serves to 
whiten or *' blanch " the leaves. Trenching, though once 
extensively practised, is now only used to a limited ex- 
tent among market-gardeners, and to produce a small 
quantity early. In growing for seed, the same cultivation 
is necessary as for market, except that as the roots have 
to be kept late the following spring, they may be planted 
as late as the first of August, and not blanched, but 
merely worked up enough to make the stalks upright. 

Preparing for Market.— That which has been " banked 



CELEKY. 83 

up " and that " earthed up " pretty higli will be market- 
able during the fall or early winter. 

The earth must be removed, the plants carefully lifted 
with a spade, and carried to the " market-house." 

Remove the outer leaves, and on one side of the j^lant 
break them away sufficiently to well expose the heart. 

Cut away the small roots, and square the main root, 
leaving the end rather thick, the better to hold the string ; 
wash with a soft brush, having long bristles at the ends, 
so as to work well in among the leaves. In tying, select 
the requisite number of roots for a bunch — from three to 
six ; usually four in the fall, and five late in the winter ; 
lay them out to form a good-shaped bunch, always keep- 
ing uppermost that side of each root which has the heart 
most exposed. Tie a string firmly around the root of 
one, then around the next, and so on until the whole are 
tied together ; trim the points of the roots even, grasp 
the leaves in the hand, and around them near the tips tie 
a string, always bending the outer leaves to give the 
bunch a spreading appearance. Place one dozen in a pile, 
for convenience in handling. The best of the outer 
leaves, and in winter such roots as are not large enough 
for flat bunching, may be tied in round bunches, and are 
usually sold under the name of " soup-celery." Celery 
which has been stored should be prepared in the manner 
above described, but generally more roots will be re- 
quired for a bunch, and the bunches will not make so 
nice an appearance unless unusually well kept, but it is 
more thoroughly blanched and more eatable, and conse- 
quently in greater demand, especially about the holidays. 

In sending to market, it should be well protected in 
cold weather, as freezing after blanching will destroy the 
color and damage the sale. 

Market-gardeners generally use large boxes lined with 
straw mats, and covered with sail-cloth, in which they 
place the celery to be conveyed to market. 



84 FARM-GARDEXING AND SEED-GROWING. 

Storing for Market. — Celery will not bo injured by 
light frosts, but heavy freezing is very injurious, and it is 
well to begin the storing of this crop in good season. 
About the first of November the first may be put away, 
and small lots at intervals, completing the whole by the 
first of December. The object of this is to have it market- 
able in succession, the first stored usually being the first 
blanched, and so on. Celery in storing should only bo 
handled when dry, and never put away while it is frozen. 
It sometimes hajipens at the season for storing that the 
nights are very frosty, thus preventing handling early the 
following day. To overcome this, dig the roots in the 
afternoon ; stack them along the trench, tops outside, and 
cover with mats or cloths, and they may be put in the 
trenches as early as convenient the next morning. 

Dig a trench the width of the spade as deep as the 
celery is high, and any length required ; run a plow on 
each side of the rows, and with a spade carefully lift the 
plants; place them perpendicularly in the trench, stowing 
them compactly ; afterwards, at intervals, press fine earth 
down beside and up to the tops of the leaves, and by cold 
weather have the whole ridge formed, the more readily to 
carry away the water. The covering of the trench should 
be gradual, to prevent heating, but when complete and 
the ground is frozen over, put on suflacient coarse manure 
to prevent severe freezing ; this can be readily removed, 
and the roots quite easily taken out when wanted. 

Seed. — Selections should be made according to the 
peculiar points of the variety, the object being to secure 
such as are perfectly solid in the stems, and with an 
abundance of solid heart-leaves. 

The storing is the same as when designed for market, 
but as it must be kept until quite late in the spring it is 
an object to keep it dry, and this can be done in a great 
measure by nailing common boards together in the shape 
of a V, and inverting them over the trench, forming a 



CELERY. 85 

roof, and covering the whole with manure. It is advisable 
to store celery for seed in very dry soil. The chances, 
even at the best, are that many which may appear sound 
in the spring, will decay when transplanted; hence it is 
advisable to bed them quite thickly in a cold-frame as soon 
as one can be spared. They must here be partially shaded 
for a few days, gradually hardened off, though not al- 
lowed to freeze, and about the first of May such as prove 
sound should be planted out. 

Use good land for growing celery seed. Plow and har- 
row well, giving a liberal dressing of well-rotted stable- 
manure, unless the soil is already very rich. Mark out 
light furrows four feet apart ; with a trowel set the roots 
eighteen inches apart in the rows, pressing the earth about 
the root, but leaving the heart exposed ; keep free from 
weeds by the use of the cultivator and hoe, and at the 
last working slightly ridge about the plants. Celery pro- 
duces seed quite profusely, in small clusterSj at the ends 
of the very numerous small twigs which grow out from 
the stalk and branches. It ripens very irregularly, an 
individual stalk often containing blossoms and green and 
ripe seed at the same time; hence, some judgment is re- 
quired in cutting it. 

When the bulk of seed on a plant is ripe, which may 
be known by the brown color, the stalk should be cut at 
the root, and all such removed on cloths and lightly 
thrashed at once, which will remove all dead-ripe seed ; the 
stalks must then be laid on shutters and exposed to the 
sun for two days, and again thrashed, when all seed that 
is sufficiently ripe to germinate will readily fall from the 
stalks. The seed must be spread thin, on cloths, in a loft, 
for ten days or more, when it can be run twice through 
the fan-mill and finally cleaned by the Ko. 24 sieve. 

Celery seed retains its vitality five years. 

VarietieSi — The distinct varieties of celery in common 
cultivation are very few ; many gardeners claim to have a 



86 FAIiM-GAKDENING AND SEED-GKOWING. 

variety of their own wliich is designated by the name of 
the proprietor, in general parlance, as Brown's kind, 
Smith's kind, etc., as the case may "be, but in these there 
is but little if any difference. 

The main points of celery for market are stout heads, 
solid leaf-stalks, and abundant heart. The tall-growing 
varieties are now but little cultivated, the dwarf being 
preferred, from the fact that it can be grown more closely 
together, and is easier worked than the former. 

Giant White Solid* — Leaves not very abundant ; heart- 
leaves long and solid ; hight three feet. 

A few years since this was the standard sort among 
market-gardeners. 

Dwarf White Solid. — Leaves abundant ; hearts profuse 
and solid ; about two feet in hight and very stout. Now 
generally in use among market - gardeners, and grown 
under various names, as previously stated. 

Dwarf Red Solid. — Very similar to the above, except 
as to color, the stalk of the leaves being purplish red, and 
when blanched the hearts are marked with rosy pink, pre- 
senting a very rich appearance. In my opinion decidedly 
the finest flavored, and generally the best of all. 

CORK 

Sweet corn, or that used in the green state for the table, 
is not grown much by market-gardeners, but is quite an 
important croj) with farm-gardeners not far distant from 
city markets. If carefully packed it may be shipped to a 
distance to advantage. 

Soil cind Preparation. — Sweet corn should have rather 
light soil, and as it is very important to get it early into 
market, it should be planted in land which can be worked 
early, and lies well to the sun. As the crop will be off in 
time to allow turnips to be sown, it will be well to manure 
quite heavily for this crop, in anticipation of the second 



coux. 87 

one. AjDply twenty two-horse loads of stable manure, 
plowed in, or one thousand pounds of bone-flour, or five 
hundred j^ounds of guano, harrowed in, to the acre. Mark 
out furrows four feet apart; put in some well-rotted 
manure or compost, with which mix a little soil ; drop the 
seed from three to six inches apart, cover two inches deep, 
and press Avith the hoe. When desirable to work both 
ways with a horse, mark furrows, three and a half feet 
apart each way, and at the angles place a half-shovelful of 
manure, mixing some soil with it, and j)ut in six or eight 
kernels to each hill ; cover with two inches of fine earth, 
and press firmly with the hoe-blade. About one peck of 
seed will be required for an acre. 

The amount of seed in the row or hill must be in ac- 
cordance with the season, and if planted early — which it 
always should be for first crop, even at the risk of having 
to replant — it must be put in quite thick, as in all j^roba- 
bility some will rot. When fairly above ground culti- 
vate and hoe, and when all danger of frost is past, thin to 
one foot apart in the rows, or four to a hill. The usual 
time for planting is the first of May, but if it can be got 
in earlier all the better, if the land lies warm. It may be 
planted for succession at intervals until July. 

Marketing. — The fitness of corn for the table, and 
hence for market, can be determined by the kernels filling 
out j^lump and entirely covering the cob, but as the husk- 
ing to inspect its condition damages the looks, and by ex- 
posing the kernels would spoil the whole, growers pull 
the ears in accordance with the appearance of the silk 
whicli protrudes from the ends, as well as by feeling. To 
understand the proper condition of the silk can only be ac- 
quired by experience, and to learn this a few ears must be 
husked at various stages. Sufiice it to say no corn is fit to 
market while the silk, or at least so much of it as protrudes 
from the husks, is green. Sweet corn can be shipped in 



88 FARM-GARDEXING AXD SEED-GEOWIXG. 

bulk, but it is more convenient to place it promiscuously 
in well-ventilated barrels. 

Seed. — Sweet corn will mix with field corn if grown 
near it ; hence, to keep the stock pure, this must be 
avoided. The cultivation is the same as for market, and 
should be planted about the middle of May. Good sweet 
corn for seed can be grown on inverted sward-land, using 
as a fertilizer a handful of bone-phosphate to each hill, 
well mixed with the soil. When the stalks begin to dry 
they must be cut and bound in small shocks, the same as 
field corn, and afterwards the ears husked out and spread 
in a loft to dry thoroughly. The nicest but the most la- 
borious way to save seed sweet-corn is, when the stalks 
are partially dry, to break the whole ear off, and with 
one or two of the outer husks, tie six or eight ears to- 
gether, and hang them over a fence or in a loft until 
they become perfectly dry, when they may be husked 
out. The small grains at the point of the ear and 
all imperfect grains should be removed, the bal- 
ance shelled by hand and passed through the fan-mill. 
Sweet corn retains moisture a long time, and must not be 
hastily stored away in bulk. If kept from the weevil it 
retains its vitality two years. 

Varieties. — The varieties are numerous, but those in 
general cultivation are few. 

Extra Early Dwarf Sugar. — The earliest known sort ; 
stalk three and a half to four feet high; ears short, 
eight-rowecl, rather small for market; valuable for its 
earliness. 

Early Eight-rowed Sugar, — The best early variety to 
grow for market in quantity ; stalk five feet high ; cars 
eight-rowed ; about eight inches long, tapering to the 
point ; kernels plump and full. 

Mammoth or Excelsior Sweet. — The best of all sweet 
corn, but rather late ; stalk six feet ; ears twelve to sixteen 



CUCUMBERS. 89 

rows, eight to twelve inches long, thick at the point ; ker- 
nels long and slender, very much indented. 

CUCUMBERS. 

These can be safely shij^ped a long distance, and hence 
are worthy the attention of those who are remote from 
market, and desire to grow vegetables for profit. 

Soil and Preparation. — The soil best adapted to cu- 
cumbers is a sandy loam, and they will do well on very 
sandy land if an abundance of manure is applied. Where 
manure can be obtained it is far preferable to plow under 
a good dressing, as the vines are rank feeders. As a rule 
they are grown in hills. 

For this plan, plow and harrow the ground, furrow out 
six feet for the large, or four and a half feet for the small- 
growing kinds, one way, and three feet the other. At 
every crossing put a shovelful of well-rotted manure or 
compost and thoroughly mix it with the soil. 

Planting and Cultivating, — The season for planting is 
from the first to the tenth of May for early, and at any 
time thence until the first of July, at which latter date 
those designed for pickles may be planted, their after-cul- 
tivation being the same as when the crop is to be full- 
grown. When the manure can be put in broadcast, mark 
light furrows five to seven feet apart, according to the 
kind to be planted ; long varieties make the most vino, 
and vice versa. 

Drop in the seed thickly, certainly twelve or fifteen to 
a foot, which will allow a fair share for the " striped bug," 
which is certain to give them a call. Cover an inch deep 
with fine soil, and press with the hoe-blade. When grown 
in hills, about twenty seeds should be placed in each, and 
covered as in rows. 

As soon as the young plants begin to break through, 



90 FARM-GAKDENING AXD SEED-GliOWIXG. 

tlie bugs must be looked after. I have knov/n them to 
eat oiFthe plant before it Avas fairly out of the ground, 
and if attention is given to them at this time, the crop 
may be saved, or if passed by for a day or two the whole 
may be destroyed. Tobacco-dust, bone-flour, ashes, etc., 
are recommended to destroy or drive away these pests, 
but I have always found air-slaked shell-lime to be the 
most effectual. It is quite essential to procure a bar- 
rel or two of burnt oyster-shells in early spring, and put 
them into a box or cask large enough to allovr of nearly 
double increase of bulk by slaking. The lime should be 
kept in a dry place, exposed to the air, by the action of 
which it will in time slake, and crumble fine. This should 
be sifted as wanted, and tlie dust sprinkled over and un- 
der the young plants, even before a bug may be seen, as 
with these "an ounce of prevention" is worth a pound of 
cure." As the plants grow they should be limed every 
few days, until they begin to run, applying the dust very 
early in the morning while the dew is on, thus causing it 
to adhere, throwing it well under as well as sprinkling it 
over the plants. When the plants are nicely up Avork 
with the cultivator and hoe, and repeat it as often as j^os- 
sible, for working among the plants disturbs the bugs, as 
well as loosens the soil and destroys the weeds. When 
the plants begin to run or form a vine they must be thin- 
ned out to twelve inches if in rows, or three plants may bo 
left in a hill. If just after this they receive a thorough 
cultivating and hoeing, they will scarcely require anymore 
attention, as the vines will soon cover the ground. Cu- 
cumbers may be advanced by starting them under glass 
in a cold-frame about the first of May. Cut sods about 
three inches thick, and in pieces four inches square ; lay 
them up-side down on the level surface of the cold-bed ; 
after taking out an inch or more of the soil from the cen- 
ter of each sod, drop in a few seeds and cover with fine 
earth ; water, and place on the sashes. In a few days they 



CUCUMUEIl:-;. 91 

will have started, when they will require airing every mild 
day and closing at night. There is but little danger of 
hugs when grown this way, and by the twentieth of the 
month they maybe removed to the open air, j^rovided the 
weather is settled. Of course the sod is to be lifted with 
the plants, and when set out, if they show any signs of 
wilting, give a good watering at evening. When firmly 
established they must be thinned to three plants in a hill, 
the preparation of the soil and after-treatment being the 
same as for regular out-door culture. When it is desired 
to force cucumbers, after the crop of cabbage or other 
plants has been removed from the cold-frames, always by 
the first of May, the soil should be spaded and raked, and 
a few seeds planted in the center of each section, or im- 
mediately under the center of each sash. 

The sashes being j^laced on, the seeds will soon germi- 
nate, and when strong, thin to three to a sash. 

In this case the plants may be forced somewhat by keep- 
ing pretty close, but avoid excessive heat, as it will weaken 
them, or they may be scorched, to their injury. At the 
same time guard against sudden changes to cold, Avhen 
the sashes are o^Dened. 

When the weather becomes warm and the vines require 
room, the sashes may be entirely removed. 

Marketing. — Cucumbers should always be cut, never 
pulled, as that disturbs and injures the vines. They are 
ready for market when a little more than half-grown, or 
while they still retain their green color. When grown 
near a market, washing will improve their appearance, 
but for shipping they are better if left dry, but avoid 
having them wilted. They may be shipped in barrels or 
boxes, but should not be long packed in bulk. Pickles must 
be cut when one fourth to one half grown, and these, as 
well as when grown full size, will be increased in number 
by keeping them cut clean, for when a part is allowed to 
ripen but few more set, and the vines soon die. 



92 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWIXG. 

Seed. — When grown for seed the same course must be 
pursued as wlien grown for market, except that they need 
not be planted until near the first of June. To insure a 
large crop, the first setting must be cut when young, and 
the second blossoms will yield more than twofold. Some 
advise pinching the ends of the young vines to produce 
fruitfulness, but I have never seen any benefit from it. 
With pure stock there is but little choice in selecting. A 
few of the very best may bo taken for stock seed, but 
when properly grown the whole crop will be even and 
uniform. When the fruit is ripe, which maybe known by 
their changing color from green to white or yellow, ac- 
cording to the variety, they must be gathered into a barn 
or shed to be cut. This is work which may be done on 
wet or stormy days, but it is not advisable to let the 
cucumbers remain long in a heap, for they will soon rot 
after removal from the vines, which makes dirty work, 
and causes some loss of seed. The cucumbers must be 
cut lengthwise, and the seeds scraped out by the thumb 
and fingers into a tub, from whence they must be emptied 
into tight barrels to sour, in order to remove the mucil- 
aginous pulp in which each seed is encased. The barrels 
must not be more than three fourths full, for in course of 
fermentation the mass increases in bulk nearly one fourth, 
for which tliis allowance must be made. 

The whole should be thoroughly stirred at least once 
every day, and will be ready for washing in about five 
days, or when the seed all settles to the bottom, though it 
may remain longer without injury if solely in the natural 
juice. The washing must be done on a clear day, and 
commenced early in the morning, that the seed may be- 
come partially dry by night. Take a large tub (usually a 
half-hogshead), fill it two thirds with water, and pass the 
seed through a No. 3 sieve, into the water ; the sieve 
should be held partially under, and worked about in the 
water ; this will retain any pieces of skin or coarse matter 



CUCUMBERS. 93 

in the sieve, and tlie seeds will settle to the bottom. 
ISTot more than one barrel of pulp can be conveniently 
washed at one time, and each lot of seed will require 
several waters, which will carry away the pulp in pour- 
ing off, and eventually leave the seed clean in the bottom 
of the tub. 

The seed must be taken out in sieves Nos. 8 and 10, and 
left to drain while another lot is being washed, when it 
must be placed on shutters, such as are used on cold- 
frames, in the sun, to dry ; the second lot taken out, and 
so on, until the whole is complete. The next day the seed 
can be placed thin on cloths, again exposed to the sun ; 
afterwards removed to a loft, and kept spread thin on 
cloths until perfectly dry, when it may be j^assed through 
the fan-mill, and finally cleaned by No. 10 sieve, which 
will remove the sand, and it can then be stored. 

The seed retains its vitality more than ten years. 

Varieties. — The difference in the leading varieties is 
quite marked. 

They readily mix with each other and with melons, and 
other vegetables of their class, and consequently all such 
must in cultivation be kept widely separated to preserve 
them pure. 

Early Russian. — The earliest and smallest of all. 
Fruit pale green, when ripe brownish yellow ; seldom 
three inches in length, thick, and blunt at the ends ; 
usually produced in pairs; plants small, and very pro- 
ductive. Like all short varieties a free seeder, and I may 
here remark that the larger and longer the cucumber, the 
less seed is produced in proportion. 

Early Cluster, — An old and favorite variety. Fruit 
dark green above, pale below and at the ends; when ripe 
dark yellow or orange ; about six inches in length, thick, 
tapering at the stem, rather blunt at the blossom-end ; 
grows in clusters; plants not of the largest, but free 



94 FARM-GAKDENING AND SEED-GKOWING. 

growers in good soil; very productive ; a free seeder. A 
valuable variety for pickles. 

Early White -Spiae. — The general favorite about 'New 
York for marketing. Fruit glossy green, growing lighter 
by age, and when ripe nearly or quite white; prickles 
white, distinct from most other varieties, eighrt to ten 
inches in length, rather thin in comparison with the 
cluster, and tapering at the stem-end ; plants remarkably 
free growers, and very productive ; a moderate seeder. 

London Long Green. — Fruit dark green ; when ripe 
brownish yellow, about twelve inches in length, tapering 
at the stem; plants not very free growers^ not productive, 
and a shy seeder. 

EGG-PLANT. 

A native of a tropical climate, extremely sensitive to 
cold, and consequently quite difficult to grow. The fruit 
can be readily shipped, but requires careful handling, as 
the skin is quite easily disfigured, and the appearance is 
much damaged when bruised. On account of the atten- 
tion required in the early stages, they are not extensively 
cultivated. The demand for them is steadily increasing, 
and where the climate suits they may be profitably grown. 
They succeed best during very hot, dry weather; and 
when it happens there is much rain about the time of 
blossoming, but few fruit will set. 

Sowing Seed and Growing the Plants. — The seed 
should be sown in a hot-bed, and requires more heat than 
any other to germinate it. 

If sown the first of April, the plants may be sufficiently 
forwarded to give a crop for market, but as I have always 
grown them for seed purposes specially, and the fruit 
requiring at least one month after it is eatable to per- 
fect the seed, I find it necessary to sow by the first of 
March. It is true we have much extra labor in guarding 



EGG-PLANT. 95 

the plants one month more at a very inclemont season of 
the year, and also the trouble and expense of niakino- nn 
extra hot-bed, but this is more than compensated by the 
returns from a full crop of seed. In either case, the hot- 
bed should be made as directed under that head, with an 
addition of six inches more of manure. The surface must 
be raked even, and enough sifted soil be added to make 
the deptli six inches, when the plants are to remain in the 
seed-bed until transplanted to the open ground; but three 
inches will be sufficient when it is designed to use a 
second hot-bed. Spread the seed even and thin; one 
ounce of seed will sow two sashes, and produce two 
thousand plants ; cover with one half an inch of very fine 
soil ; water lightly from a fine-rose watering-pot ; put on 
the sashes, and cover the whole from the sun for twenty- 
four hours ; then remove the shading, and allow the vapor 
to pass away, but do not allow the bed to become chilled, 
by opening each end-sash one inch from the top for a 
short time in the middle of the day. Tlie bed must not 
be allowed to become dry, nor yet be kept very wet ; the 
upper part may need an occasional sprinkling, but the 
lower half will be naturally moist enough. When the 
plants first come up, they are very liable to damp ofi", and 
at this time but little water must be used — the vapor must 
be allowed to pass off; still beware of chilling the plants. 
If sown the first of April, the plants may be thinned to 
four inches apai't ; but when sown the first of March, I 
prepare a second and larger hot-bed when the plants are 
forming the second leaves, which is tempered and ready 
by the time the plants are large enough to handle easily. 
In this bed the soil is at least six inches deep, raked* 
fine, and the surface even. In this the young plants are 
pricked out six inches apart, lightly watered, the sashes 
put on, the plants shaded for a day or two, and during 
the middle of the day for two or three days longer. 
Egg-plants have but fev/ fibrous roots, consequently they 



96 PAEM-GA.RDENING AND SEED-GROWIXG. 

are difficult to transplant, and great care must be taken 
to press the earth against the root, and to properly attend 
to the shading. Water can only be used sparingly, for 
until the plants again become established there is danger 
of damping off. They now require regular airing, and by 
good attention, with the fresh heat under them, they soon 
outgrow those in the seed-bed, and at the season of trans- 
planting, from the twentietli of May to the first of June, 
we have large, strong plants to set out. As the plants 
advance in growth, the frames must be raised and blocked 
up, so that the leaves do not touch the glass — an a(l\ antage 
in movable frames — and before setting out, the sashes 
must be removed to harden the plants. Weeds will grov^^ 
freely among the plants, and must be regularly pulled 
out, and the surface occasionally stirred by the finger. 

Soli, Planting, and Cnltivation. — Egg plants require a 
deep, light, warm soil, and it' can liardly be made too 
rich. The land may be prepared about the middle of 
May in readiness for planting, which is usually done 
about the tv/enty-fifth, a rainy day or just after a rain 
being the most suitable time. 

Apply a liberal quantity of stable-manure or bone-dust, 
plow deep, and harrow thoroughly; mark out furrows 
four feet apart, in which place a shovelful of well-rotted 
manure or compost every three feet, and thoroughly mix 
it into the soil with a hoe, forming a slight hill v»^ith a 
concave center six or eight inches in depth. 

When the weather is suitable for transplanting, water 
the bed copiously^ thoroughly saturating the soil ; lift the 
l)lants by means of a trowel, securing large balls of earth 
lo the roots, and remove them in wheelbarrows to the 
place of planting. Set the plants in the holes, drawing 
the earth to them, and firmly pressing it about the root 
with the hands. Those grov/n in the seed-bed, if properly 
thinned, may be removed the same way, which is far 
preferable to lifting without the eai-th attached. 



EGG-PLANT. 97 

The after-cultivation consists only in l^eeping the 
ground free from weeds, which is readily done by the 
cultivator and hoe. 

Cutting for Market. — The fruit is marketable v^^hen 
about half-grown, usually six to eight inches long, and 
five to six inches in diameter at the thickest part. This, 
however, can only be determined by some experience with 
them. They are not eatable when the seeds begin to 
swell, wbich may be known by the color of the fruit 
changing from bright to dull purple. 

On account of the thorns on the stems of some, they 
are most easily cut with a strong pair of shears. 

They should not be washed, but may be wiped off and 
carefully laid in barrels for shipping. 

Seed, — To keep up and improve the variety, such as 
are wanted for stock seed should be selected when 
growing, and marked by crossing with a knife. For this 
purpose select the earliest, best formed, and particularly 
the deepest colored, and as far as possible from produc- 
tive plants. Some may prefer to select those without 
thorns on the stem, as these are pleasanter to handle, 
but I have found the thorny-stemmed ones the most pro- 
ductive, and the fruit is more handsome than that from 
the smooth-stemmed. 

The latter are, however, a little earlier than the former, 
so that one thing balances the other, and it is quite as 
well to grow them promiscuously. When the fruit is ripe, 
which may be known by the change from bright purple 
to dull purple, and sometimes to a deep yellow, those 
marked for stock must first be gathered, and it is recom- 
mended in selecting from the marked fi-uit to take only such 
as have held their color well toward maturity. It is ad- 
visable to make two or three gatherings of the main crop, 
as the first ripe are liable to rot before the later ones are 
fit for seed. At the first frost all that are marketable may 
be cut and sold, as they will not ripen the seed. Cut 



98 FARM-GAKDEXING AND SEED-GKOWING. 

with shears, cart to the shed or barn, and prepare for 
mashing or grinding. The primitive mode, which must 
yet be resorted to where machinery is not at command, is 
to cut away one third or more of the fruit from the stem- 
end, and peel the skin from the balance. It will be ob- 
served that there are no seeds in the upper or stem-end 
and those below lie over one fourth of an inch from the 
skin ; hence much may be cut away to reduce the 
labor of mashing or grinding as well as washing. The 
peeled fruit may be placed in small quantity in a strong 
barrel, and mashed to a fine pulp, emptied into other bar- 
rels, and this continued until finished, or they may be 
ground in a portable cider or wine mill. I have always 
used Krauser's Patent Portable Cider-Mill, for these and all 
other things which require to be ground up in order to 
procure the seed. This mill has two reciprocating levers 
working alternately against a rough cylinder, and by 
placing the cut part against the cylinder, bottom-end 
down, the pulp is scooped out, and the skins which pass 
through whole are quickly taken out in washing. To pre- 
pare the fruit for this mill we simply cut away the top 
and quarter the other part, and for mashing by hand or 
grinding in other mills they should also bo cut, as vrell as 
peeled. In cutting avoid using a very sharp knife, lest 
many seeds be cut and spoiled, and after the fruits are cut 
they must be ground immediately, for they quickly heat 
and rot. The pulp, to work nicely, should be washed the 
day after grinding, but may remain longer without injury 
to the seed. 

The washing is done principally in the same manner as 
cucumber seed, except that we use a ISTo. 3 sieve first, and 
as each lot receives its third washing the seed is removed 
to a barrel, and when the whole is thus far cleaned it is 
again washed as before, using sieve No. 6. Two or three 
changes of water will make the seed perfectly free from 
pulp, when it must be taken out in sieves Nos. 12 and 14, 



EGG-PLANT. 99 

drained, and spread thinly on shutters. Egg-plant seed is 
very liable to sprout after washing unless quickly dried ; 
hence it is very important to select a dry day for the opera- 
tion, and to commence early in the morning, so as to get the 
seed out before noon, between which time and night, if 
spread thin, exposed to the sun, and frequently stirred, it 
will be fit to put on cloths, and be removed to a loft, where 
it may be left spread thin until thoroughly dry. It may af- 
terwards be cleaned by passing through the wind, or largo 
lots through the fan-mill, and the sand removed by sieve 
Ko. 12. The seed, when well kept, retains its vitality 
five years. 

Varieties. — The varieties are not numerous, and the 
older sorts are known as " Long Purple " and " Round 
Purple," difi*ering mainly in the shape of the fruit. 

The general favorite at the present time is the 

New York Improved Large Purple. — This is an im- 
provement on the " Round Purple " made by carefully se- 
lecting the fruit for a succession of years. It was grown 
by my father while gardening at Jersey City. He annu- 
ally took the first premium at the American Institute 
Fairs, which fact excited the attention of a New York seeds- 
man, who contracted with him for an annual supply of 
seed, and gave it the name it still bears. 

Plant upright and compact ; fruit, when marketable, 
six to nine inches in length, and four to six inches in di- 
ameter, thinnest at the stem, sometimes indented or 
grooved on one side ; color bright velvety purple, chang- 
ing to dull purple and yellow when ripe, at which stage it 
frequently attains a size of twelve inches in length and 
eight inches in diameter ; stems quite thickly covered 
with thorns on many of the plants. 

Black Pekin. — A very distinct variety, quite recently 
introduced. Plant large and branching, with purple stalks ; 
the leaves green, distinctly marked with purple and 



100 FARM-GAEDEISriNG AND SEED-GROWING. 

"bronzed; very ornamental ; fruit of medium size, rarely 
over six inches in diameter, nearly round ; color black- 
purple, which it retains until maturity. Its fitness for seed 
is determined by shrinking of the skin when ripe. 

HERBS. 

The cultivation of the leading herbs is a business of 
some magnitude with market-gardeners, and worthy the 
attention of those who are remote from market, for in the 
dry state they may be packed without risk, and shipped any 
distance, and they will not be damaged if lightly packed 
when green, provided they are not kept so long enough 
to heat. Such as are generally grown are here described. 
All herbs require a light rich soil, which should be made 
fine on the surface, and generally well prepared. They 
may be grown as second crops when intended for market, 
by sowing in April and transplanting to the first cleared 
ground. What is generally termed a bunch is about one 
half as much as can be spanned by the thumb and forefin- 
ger. This must be firmly bound at the bottom, and 
usually two bunches are connected for convenience in 
hanging up to dry. 

Sa^Oi — Mark rows one inch deep and fifteen inches 
apart, in which deposit the seed moderately thin, covering 
with a rake, gently pressing the earth. The young 
plants may be set out fifteen inches apart, or they may be 
thinned and left to grow where sown. The plants usual- 
ly survive the winter, and may bo parted and reset every 
spring, which is the better plan in growing for seed. The 
stems should be gathered just before blossoming, and the 
crop may be cut twice in one season if grown early. 

It will generally give a fair yield of marketable leaves 
after the seed has been cut. The seed is produced in open 
cups on slender branches, growing above the leaves, and 
when ripe, which may be known by its changing to black, 



HERBS. 101 



the branches must be cut and placed on cloths, until tlic 
whole is collected, as it ripens unevenly and requires fre- 
quent cuttings. When dry it will readily thrash out, and 
can be easily cleaned with Nos. G and 12 sieves, with the 
aid of a gentle breeze. 

The only variety cultivated for market is known as the 
" Broad-leaved." 

Sweet Marjoram, — This should bo sown in the latter 
part of April, the same way precisely as directed for 
Celery. The young plants must be kept clean by repeated 
light hoeing and weeding, and when large enough to han- 
dle nicely be transplanted twelve inches apart each way, 
leaving some to grow in the seed-bed. This will not sur- 
vive our winters, hence must be sown every year. It 
must be cut when in bloom. The seed is produced within 
a *' button " of small scales, very similar in appearance 
to hops, and when ripe, which may be known by the 
leaves and buttons commencing to dry, the stems may be 
cut entire, and as the seed is extremely small, must be kept 
on cloths of very fine texture. 

It can be quite easily thrashed and rubbed out when 
dry, and cleaned with sieves Nos. 14, 20, and 40, and a 
very gentle breeze. The variety known as " Knotted Mar- 
joram " is the only one of any importance. 

SumiQCr Savory .—Sow the first of May, in the manner 
of Sage, in very shallow drills ; thin, as this must not be 
transplanted, but allowed to grow in the seed bed. 

The cutting for market and also saving the seed is the 
same as directed for Sweet Marjoram, using sieves Nos. 10 
and 24 in cleaning, the seeds being larger. 

Thyiae. — This must be sown during the latter part of 
April, in the same manner as directed for Celery seed, and 
transplanted and otherwise treated as directed for Sweet 
Marjoram. This, like Sage, will survive the winter, and 
may be divided and reset in the spring, which is also the 



103 FAllM-GAKDEXING AND SEED-GROWING. 

best plan in growing the seed, and as the plants -will 
groTV strong the distance should be fifteen inches each 
way. Cut when in blossom. The seed is produced in the 
same manner as Sage, and, like Marjoram, is extremely 
small. It ripens more unevenly than any other with which 
we have to do. , 

To save it, when the first commences to ripen, which 
may be known by its dark color and the pods becoming 
yellow and some dry, place sheets of heavy paper under 
each plant, well up to the stems ; at noon and evening shake 
the plants well, causing the ripe seed to fall on the paper, 
which must be removed at night and rej^laced in the 
morning. 

Of course this can not be done during rainy weather, 
but there is little danger of the seed shelling out when 
the air is damp. When the bulk of the seed has been 
thus collected, the stems may be cut, dried, thrashed, or 
rubbed, and the seed cleaned, all as directed for Sweet 
Marjoram. 

The variety known as " Spreading Thyme " is the only 
one fit for cultivation. Herb seeds are not considered 
good more than two years. 

HORSERADISH. 

This is a very important and profitable crop with mar- 
ket-gardeners, and is particularly adapted to shipping, 
hence may be grown remote from market where the soil 
is suited to its cultivation. It is propagated from sets, as 
it does not produce seed ; hence there are no varieties. In 
its native state it is usually found in low places, being fond 
of moisture. This latter fact formerly induced gardeners 
to plant it in low ground, which always gave it a luxuriant 
growth of leaves, but the root, which is the only eatable 
part, produced laterals and fibers, and the proportion of 
marketable roots was comparatively small. When planted 



nOESEllADISII. 103 

on higher ground it was found that the roots, in searching 
for their favorite moisture, grew perpendicularly, and with 
only sufficient laterals for sets, for future planting, thus 
concentrating into marketable substance much that in the 
first instance was worthless, and only a drain upon the soil. 

Soil and Preparation. — The soil best adapted to this 
crop is a deep loam, with mellow or free subsoil, and suc- 
ceeds best on land which has been well worked and 
manured for a number of years. If grown separately, 
forty two-horse loads of stable-manure j)lowed in, or one 
ton of bone-dust, or one half a ton of guano harrowed in, 
should be applied to the acre. Plow deep, following with 
the lifting subsoil plow, harrow thoroughly, smooth the 
surface with the back of the harrow, and mark out rows 
thirty inches apart. 

Gardeners groAV this as a second crop, usually between 
the rows of early cabbages, and in this case the perfect 
preparation of the soil for that crop answers for this. 

The land is marked with a fifteen-inch marker, every 
other row planted with cabbages or other crop, as the case 
may be, and the horseradish set in the intervening rows. 

Planting and CultiyatiOfl. — The sets may be planted 
early in spring, but when in connection with another crop 
usually about the first of May, to give the first crop a 
chance to mature before the second requires the whole 
ground. Along the rows make holes, eighteen inches 
apart, and three or four inches deeper than the length of 
the sets, using a light crowbar for the purpose. In these 
holes drop the sets, the tops of which should be three or 
four inches below the surface, and fill the hole with earth, 
pressed to the roots by means of a dibble. The object of 
this deep, planting is to retard the growth when cultivated 
as a second crop, and to give the first crop a chance to 
mature, for if allowed an early start the rapid growth of 
the large and numerous leaves would soon envelop the 
other crop to its destruction. Yf ith the best of care the 



J 04 FARM-GAKDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

horseradish may come on too rapidly, in whicti case tlie 
leaves that appear above ground may be cut off with a 
hoe, without materially injuring the roots. lYiien grown 
alone, this deej) planting is not imperative, but is advisable, 
for then, just as the leaves begin to appear, the whole 
land may be harrowed over, as is frequently practised by 
farmers with j^otatoes, thus quickly destroying the first 
crop of weeds. The after-cultivation is only to keep the 
land free from weeds, and as the leaves soon shade the 
ground, one thorough cultivating and hoeing is all that 
will be required. The sets for a start may be obtained 
from market-gardeners or seed-stores, and directions for 
preparing them for future supply will be given more par- 
ticularly hereafter. 

Gathering and Storing. — Horseradish should always 
be sold after one year's growth. The principal demand 
for this vegetable is in the winter, hence the roots r.re 
taken up in the fall, usually after all other crops are 
secured, and placed in pits as directed in the chapter on 
storing roots, or they may be put in a cool cellar and 
covered with sand. 

The main root, wliich is the most important, penetrates 
deep, and requires considerable labor to secure it whole. 

A deep furrow may be plowed away from the row to 
assist the operation, but the main labor must be done by 
the spade. It is desirable to remove the roots as nearly 
whole as possible, for the small pieces are apt to vegetate 
the following year, and cause some annoyance if the land 
is cropped with small stuff. They can be worked out by 
planting such crops the following year as require re- 
peated workings with the cultivator and hoe. 

Preparing for Market. — Durmg the winter the roots, 
as wanted, may be removed to the market-house, the 
crowns nicely trimmed, all lateral roots removed except 
the larger ones, which may be shortened and remain 
attached to the main root, for sale. ' 



KALE. 105 

They must next be cleanly washed, and laid in barrels 
in which holes have been bored to let the water pass away, 
or they maybe drained and packed in boxes for shipping. 

The roots are always sold by weight. In the process of 
preparing for market, the " sets " are saved. These are 
simply the lateral roots, which are cut from the main 
root, usually three eighths of an inch or more in diameter, 
and are cut about six inches long, the upper end squared 
off, and the bottom or root end made slanting, to serve as 
a guide in setting, to prevent planting upside down. 

These sets should be placed in boxes, with an abundance 
of sand under, over, and among them, to prevent heating, 
the boxes placed in a cool cellar or in the pits from which 
the large roots were taken, protected from severe frost, 
and there remain until wanted for planting. 

At the distance herein given nearly twelve thousand 
sets arc required for an acre. 

KALE. 

^ This is but comparatively little grown in this country, 
excepting the variety called " Siberian " or " Dwarf Ger- 
man Greens," and more commonly known as " Sprouts " 
in and about ISTew York City. For the latter market it is 
very extensively grown, and immense quantities of it are 
sold there annually. 

This variety in its prime would seem like a cross be- 
tween the Russia turnip and the Savoy cabbage, in form 
like the tops of the former, but lacking the bulbous root, 
and with its deep curled foUage resembling the latter, 
minus the solid head. 

It succeeds best in a rather light soil, which must be 
highly manured ; at least thirty two-horse loads, or bone- 
dust at the rate of one ton to the acre. The former must 
be plowed in, or the latter harrowed in. The seed should 
be sown about the fifteenth of August. 
5* 



106 FAEM-GAKDEXI^G AND SEED-GROWING. 

The ground being tlioronghly prepared, mark out rows, 
eiglueen inches apart ; soy/ the seed evenly, and cover by 
rakino^ len<2i:thwise. 

When the plants are fairly up, use the push-hoe, and 
thin to six inches apart. They will not require any fur- 
ther attention, though if the time can be spared, a dress- 
ing with the hoe may assist them to grow strong, and the 
better to withstand the winter. 

As early as possible in the spring loosen the ground 
thoroughly by means of a prong-hoe, which is all the 
cultivation necessary. They are marketable by the first 
of May, and are cut in a bunch, the dead leaves trimmed 
away, and sold by the barrel. 

They are sometimes sold very late, even when the top is 
in bloom, this part being cut away. Those who are 
growing choice cabbage seed must not have this kale in 
bloom anywhere near them, as it mixes very readily with 
the former. To grow the seed of this the same treatment 
is necessary as when grown for market. In spring re- 
move all that have single leaves, as its beauty consists in 
the curled leaf. When the seed is ripe, which may be 
known by the bulk of it becoming dry, it must be cut, 
choosing a damp time, or early in the morning while the 
dew is on, and even then very careful handling is neces- 
sary to prevent shelling. 

After a day or two the whole will be fit to thrash, 
which can be very easily done, and the seed separated 
from the chaff by the fan-mill, and after having been 
spread out in a loft for ten days, may be finally cleaned 
by the fan-mill and No. 20 sieve. The seed retains its 
vitality four years. 

LEEK. 

Extensively grown by market-gardeners as a second 
crop. From the fact that it must be washed and bunched 



LEEK. 107 

for market, it is not a desirable crop to grow for shipping, 
as in this state it soon heats when packed, and quickly 
decays. Gardeners prefer American-grown seed, and 
hence I notice it here more particularly, as being of in- 
terest to the seed-grower. 

Sowlag Seed aad GvQw'mg the Plants. — Early in 
spring select a piece of rich ground ; plow, harrow, and 
rake fine ; mark rows with the ten-inch marker, one and 
a half inch deep ; sow the seeds moderately thin, and 
cover by raking in. One ounce of seed will produce four 
thousand plants. When well up, work between the 
rows with a push hoc ; remove all weeds in the rows by 
hand ; afterward give a deep hoeing and keep free from 
weeds. 

Soil aad Preparation. — The leek requires a strong, 
very rich soil, and is generally grown after a crop which 
has been very highly manured. The early crop being re- 
moved, clean off all weeds and rubbish, plow deep, harrow 
fine, and smooth with the back of the harrow, mark rows 
with the fifteen-inch marker, and be prepared for a wet 
day for transplanting. This plant is not so sensitive to 
drouth as some others, and may be set when the earth is 
only moderately wet, when celery, for instance, could not 
be set out with safety. 

Piantiog aad Cisltivatloil, — The season of planting is 
the latter part of July. The plants may be set six inches 
apart in the rows already marked out, requiring about 
seventy thousand for an acre. 

The plants should be raised by a spade, carefully drawn 
out, held evenly in one hand, and the loose roots and 
leaves cut back one half. Plant deep, pressing the earth 
firm to the root with the dibble. Push-hoe after planting, 
and later give a deep hoeing, pulling all weeds from the 
rows by handj repeat the push-hoeing and weeding oc- 
casionally. 



108 FAEM-GAKDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

Preparing for i¥arket.— Dig the plants, peel off the 
decayed leaves, cut back the roots and tops, wash, and tie 
in round bunches of six to eight. Leeks may be stored 
for winter the same as celery. 

Seed. — They are grown for seed the same as for market, 
but should be in beds of six rows only, to facilitate cut- 
ting. They stand the winter without protection, and in 
spring will require deep hoeing, and to be kept clean so 
long as they can be worked. The after-treatment is in 
all respects precisely the same as for onion seed, which is 
given in detail under that head. The final cleaning must 
be given by No. 18 sieve, as the seed is smaller than that 
of the onion. 

Leek seed can not be depended on more than one }^ear, 
but if well kept a fair proportion will germinate the 
second season. 

Varieties. — The varieties are not numerous, the most 
l^opular being known among gardeners as the 

Large Flag* — The main point of this is its broad flat 
leaves, whence its name. 

LETTUCE. 

This is a very important crop with market-gardeners, 
and large quantities are annually grown in the open air, 
and much is grown during winter in hot-beds, and exten- 
sively in cold-frames, some using over one thousand 
sashes for this purpose. 

It is quite perishable, especially when it has been forced, 
hence it can not be recommended as a very desirable 
article to send long distances to market. It is, however, 
of importance to the seed-grower, as large quantities of 
seed are annually used, and all gardeners prefer the 
American-grown seed. 

Sowing Seed and Growing Plants.— Directions are 
given for sowing the seed in the fall, and wintering the 



LETTUCE. 109 

plants, in the chapter on cold-frames. This is decidedly 
the best plan when they are intended for seed, as by 
it each plant, when transplanted, grows large, forms a 
head, the stock can be kept pure, and the seed is pro- 
duced more abundantly early in the season, and of better 
quality than when grown late. 

To grow plants in a hot-bed, prepare as directed under 
that head, about the middle of March; level the surface, 
put on an inch of sifted soil, spread the seed thin^ cover 
one half an inch with fine soil, and Avater lightly. When 
the plants are up, give plenty of air; keep the earth 
moist but not wet, and before planting harden them off, 
by removing the sashes a few days in advance. Good 
plants may be grown, not quite so early, in a cold-frame, 
preparing and sowing the same as in the hot-bed, but as 
there is no bottom heat, the sashes must be kept closer. 
It is very important to sow thin, to produce good stocky 
plants. An ounce to four sashes properly sown will give 
five to seven thousand plants. ¥/hen it is desirable to 
have a succession of heads for marketing, the seed may 
be sov/n at intervals, in the same manner as in the fall for 
wintering, as directed in the chapter on cold-frames. 

Soil and Preparatioa.— When grown for market, let- 
tuce should have rich soil, but when grown for seed one 
half the usual amount of manure will sufiice, for I find 
that in very rich land the stalks decay at the root when 
in blossom, and much loss is occasioned by blight. The 
soil should be a moderately light loam. 

To grow for marketing, apply forty two-horse loads of 
stable-manure plowed in, or two thousand pounds of 
bone-flour, or one thousand pounds of guano, harrowed 
in, to the acre. For seed purposes, one half or less. 
Plow deep, harrow fine, and smooth with the back of the 
harrow. Mark rows with the fifteen-inch marker. 

Planting and Cultivation.— Set the plants out as early 
as possible after the ground is dry enough to work well, 



110 FASM-GAEDBNLN^a AND SEED-GEOWING. 

and always right after the ground is prepared, while the 
surface is still moist. Plant them fifteen inches apart in the 
row, pressing the earth firmly about the root, but avoid 
very deep planting, as lettuce, to do well, must be entirely 
above ground. It may be grown between the rows of 
early cabbages, etc., and will come off in time to allow 
the ground to be cultivated and worked for the benefit of 
the other crop. About twenty-eight thousand plants Aviil 
be required for an acre, at fifteen inches each way, or 
nearly forty-four thousand at one foot each way, at which 
distance the small varieties may be grown for market, 
but for seed-growing they require room to branch out, 
and the distance first named is preferable. "Work with a 
push-hoe both ways ; later, hoe thoroughly and deeply, re- 
moving weeds from about the plants by hand. An addi- 
tional push-hoeing will usually suffice to carry the crop 
through clean, except in seed-growing, when it may be 
necessary to go through with a narrow push-hoe, when 
the plants are nearly in bloom. Hardy lettuce may be 
sown thinly in rows fifteen inches apart about the middle 
of September, and by lightly covering with coarse litter 
or straw will survive the winter, and may be cut in spring 
and sold hj measure, or thinned and allowed to bead. 
The tender varieties may also be sown in the same man- 
ner early in spring, and be marketed in the same way. 

Forcini^. — To grow lettuce in winter, make a hot-bed 
with five or six inches of soil, and when tempered, set 
out the plants, about eight inches apart each way. 

This should be made in a very warm, sheltered position, 
and great care is required to guard against sudden 
changes. Air may be given very fine days, but as let- 
tuce under glass is hardly expected to head, it may be 
forced rapidly, and a well-made hot-bed will bear a second 
crop. Gardeners about New York grow lettuce exten- 
sively in cold-frames. In addition to the frame in which 
the plants are preserved, they have spare frames which 



LETTUCE. Ill 

are covered with coarse manure or litter in tlie fall, and 
during February and March this is removed, the earth 
spaded up, and the plants set about eight inches each 
way, covered by sashes, and afterwards treated as cold- 
frames, except as the object is to force the plants they are 
kept quite close, and allowed more moisture. 

Markctmi^. — When the plants have formed heads 
(which, by the way, never get solid as that term is ap- 
plied to cabbage), they are fit to cut. This applies to 
open-air culture, those growing under glass seldom form- 
ing much head. Cut them close to the ground ; remove 
to the market-house ; trim oiF the outer or decayed 
leaves ; rinse in clean water, and pack lightly in well- 
ventilated barrels. 

Seed. — When the stock is pure, there is little choice to 
be made. It is best to go over the bed w^hcn the heads 
are in their prime, and remove all such as will not head 
or that show signs of impurity, if any there be. For 
stock seed, select such as are extra fine, and by the side 
of each head firmly set a tall stick as a mark, when 
the seed from all such plants may be saved by itself. 
When the seed is ripe, the heads in which it is contained 
become plump and yellow, but as it ripens very un- 
evenly, the only way is to average the whole. For 
instance, some stalks will show more than one half of 
the heads to be ripe, when the stalk must be cut off, 
although there may be blossoms still on the same plant ; 
but if left for these blossoms to set and ripen, the first 
and best seed will fall out and be lost. The stalks will 
require two or three cuttings, as some will be more 
advanced than others. The small branches to which the 
seed-heads are attached must be cut from the stalks 
upon cloths, exjDOsed to the sun until dry, and thrashed. 
The cleaning of lettuce-seed is often quite tedious, espe- 
cially if there be much wet weather when the blossoms 
are shedding, for then they are apt to curl up and 



112 FARM-GAEDEXING AND SEED-GKOWING. 

adhere to the seed-head, forming a ball of about the 
same size and weight as the seed, which renders the 
separation quite troublesome. 

When the seed is thrashed, remove the stems by raking 
off. There will always be some heads not thrashed ; 
these must be separated from the seed by No. 5 sieve, 
put into a bag, and again thrashed. 

The whole may be sifted with Nos. 8, 10, and 14 sieves 
in succession, each time gathering the chaff from the top, 
and casting away the litter remaining in the sieve. The 
work may be assisted by sifting on cloths in the open air, 
with a gentle breeze stirring to carry away the small 
chaff; or where large quantities are grown, the fan-mill 
may be brought in use, but the sieves will in all cases be 
required to perfect the cleaning. 

Give the final touch with sieve ISTo. 24, which will 
remove the heavy dust or sand, and put away in bags. 

Lettuce-seed will germinate when three years old. 

Varieties. — The varieties are numerous, though but 
few kinds are in general cultivation in this country, and 
these are quite distinct. 

Early Caried Silesia.— This was formerly the leading 
variety, and the seed is still extensively sold in seed- 
stores, but with market-gardeners superseded by the 
" Simpson," which it resembles, though smaller and not 
as certain to head. 

Simpson's Silesia. — An improvement on the " Silesia," 
originated some years ago by a market-gardener then at 
Brooklyn, N. Y., whose name the variety still bears. 
Heads large and full; leaves spreading, clear greenish 
yellow, curled, crisp, and tender. The main variety for 
forcing, and the general favorite about New York. 

White-seeded Butter. — Heads small, compact, and solid; 
lively rich yellow; leaves smooth and close; excellent 
flavor, unsurpassed for summer culture. 



MELON. 113 

Blacli-SCeded Butter.— Heads medium, prominent, and 
solid; rich yellow; flavor excellent; leaves spreading, 
dark green ; valuable for second early. 

Curled India. — Heads large and prominent, compact 
but not very solid; leaves curled, spreading; color, 
greenish yellow, with a distinct brown tinge. The best 
curled variety for summer culture. 

Hardy Green or Winter.— This is the most hardy of 
all the varieties, and is frequently sown in September, 
in rows covered lightly with straw, and in the spring 
marketed as '' cut " lettuce, and sold by measure. Heads 
medium size and compact, tough ; leaves flat and spread- 
ing, dull green, brown-tinged; heads up very quick in 
spring, and used to some extent to plant among early 
cabbages, but is not salable Avhen the " Simpson " comes 
in abundance. 

MELON"— Musk. 

Melons are not grown in market-gardens, but for 
farm-gardens are an important crop, as they may be 
shipped any reasonable distance, and usually command 
paying prices, especially when grown early. 

Soil and Preparation. — The soil best adapted to musk- 
melons is a light loam, and they do well in such as is 
largely composed of sand. Old svrard land is preferable 
to fallow ground. 

The land should be plowed, well harrowed, and fur- 
rowed out six feet one way by three feet the other. 

At the intersections, put a shovelful of well-rotted 
manure or compost, and thoroughly mix it with the soil, 
drawing a little fine soil over the whole, making the hill 
broad and flat, slightly concave in the center, to receive 
the seed. The season of planting is from the first to the 
twentieth of May, and to avoid a useless repetition, I 
would say that the planting and after-cultivation is the 



114 FAEM-GAEDENING AXD SEED-GEOWIIiG. 

same as directed for cucumbers. They are liable tvo be 
attacked by the same "striped-bug," against which I 
advise the same precaution and remedy. In fact, the 
general remarks in regard to the cucumber are applicable 
to this plant. 

Gathering for Market. — ^Muskmelons are marketable 
only before they turn yellow, and are ripe when the stem 
cracks away from the fruit, at which time they should be 
gathered and carefully placed in barrels for shipping. 
They must be gathered CA^ery day during their season, for 
they soon become yellow and soft after they are ripe. 

Seed. — When intended for seed, melons need not be 
gathered until quite yellow. 

They sliould be cut open, the seeds scraped out and 
treated the same as cucumber-seed. The fruit after the 
seed is removed serves as an excellent food for cattle 
and hogs. 

Stock seed should be saved from the earliest and best 
flavored of those which are used for home consumption. 
The seed is good for ten years. 

Varieties. — The distinct varieties are not numerous, 
though there are many sub-varieties of almost every 
sort. 

Citron I — Fruit of medium size, nearly round, flattened 
at the ends ; skin green and much netted ; flesh thick 
and fine flavored. 

IVutmeg. — Fruit oval, whence the name; otherwise, 
very similar to the above. 

Skiilman'S Fiac-aetted. — Fruit round, medium size; 
skin green and very closely netted, whence the name; 
flesh thick, fine-grained, and excellent ; one of the very 
best varieties. 

Allen's Sisperl). — A sub-variety of the citron. Fruit 
very large ; skin green and much netted ; flesh thick, 
green, solid, and excellent. 



MELOX. 115 

Early Christiana. — Fruit medium size ; skin dark green, 
seldom netted ; flesh deep yellow, thick, fine-grained, and 
excellent. Valuable for private gardens, but on account 
of the color not very salable. 

White JapaHt — Fruit small to medium; skin smooth, 
white, and seldom netted ; flesh vrhite, and of fair quality. 

Loa^ Persian. — Fruit large, often ten to twelve inches 
in length; skin green, somewhat netted; flesh thick, 
green, and well-flavored. 

MELON— Watek. 

Like the preceding, this is an important croj) for the 
farm-garden where the soil is suitable, and large quan- 
tities are annually brought from the Southern States to 
our Northern markets by vessel, which,- by the way, is a 
very convenient way of shipping where such means are 
at command. They are also extensively grown in Kew 
Jersey, and in other sections North where the soil is 
adapted to them. 

Soil and Preparation, — The soil should be light, mora 
sandy than otherwise, and new ground or old sward-land 
is far the best. 

The season of planting is the same as for muskmelons, 
and the preparation the same, except the hills should be 
twice as far apart, that is, six by twelve feet, and one 
half more manure may be added to advantage. 

The remarks in the preceding article on muskmelons, 
in regard to cultivation, may be applied to these. 

Gathering for Market. — AYatermelons should be 
marketed wdien ripe, for if allowed to become over-Hpe 
the flesh will become mealy and nearly tasteless. The 
question may here arise : " When is a watermelon ripe ? " 
Some judge by the curl at the stem, which becomes dry 
when the fruit is ripe, but it sometimes happens that the 
curl, and even a part or the whole of the vine, dies, and 



116 FARM-GAllDEXING AND SEED-GEOWING. 

the melon is still green, lience this is not a- sure test. 
Others press the melon with the hand, and if ripe the 
iiesh within cracks, which may be known by the sound 
emitted; but this is injurious to the fruit, and hence 
objectionable. The surest and safest test is by sight, 
feeling, and sounding, which, however, requires some 
practice and experience to enable one to judge unmis- 
takably. When ripe, the color of the skin is duller than 
when growing, the rind or outer flesh is spongy when 
growing, but Arm when mature, and there is a peculiar 
sound created within the ripe fruit when smartly 
" snapped " by the middle finger which can not be 
described, but with which the ear soon becomes familiar 
by practice. 

Therefore, the only way to acquire facility in this is 
to notice the color, compare the feeling and sound between 
known unripe and supposed ripe fruit, and determine by 
cutting the latter. But very few trials will give the 
requisite knowledge, and these may be made on the first 
melons before enough are ripe to make it an object to 
market them, and what few may be spoiled will be more 
than paid for in the knowledge gained, which once 
acquired can never be forgotten. 

Seed. — Those intended for seed can be left until " dead- 
ripe," and when removed to the barn they will make a 
good job for a rainy day, when the seeds can be scraped 
out, placed in barrels, and after fermenting three days be 
washed out, using No. 2 sieve, and otherwise treated as 
directed for cucumber-seed. 

Attention should be paid to selecting the best and 
finest flavored specimens for stock seed. The seed retains 
its vitality ten years. 

Varieties. — The varieties are quite numerous, and many 
are quite distinct. They easily mix in the blossom, hence 
the necessity of growing different varieties at long dis- 
tances from each other, and to avoid growing them near 



OKRA. 117 

cucumbers, pumpkins, or the like, with which they may 
become mixed and spoiled. 

Mountain Sweet. — This has long been a very popular 
and leading market variety. Fruit largo, long, and slen- 
der, narrower near the stem than elsewhere ; skin rather 
dark, sometimes marbled with various shades of green ; 
flesh bright red, solid, and well-flavored; seeds dark 
brown and drab-mottled. 

Mountain Sprout,— Another very popular variety. In 
size, shape, and flesh, similar to the Mountain Sweet; 
Bkin striped and marbled with light and darker green ; 
seeds dun-colored. 

Black Spanish. — Once very popular, but now rarely to 
be found pure. Fruit large, and nearly round, somewhat 
ribbed ; skin very dark green ; flesh bright scarlet, crisp, 
and fine flavored; seeds nearly black, tinged with brown 
at the small end. 

Gipsy. — A comparatively new variety. Fruit medium 
size, oval, and evenly formed ; skin beautifully marbled 
with pale green and dull white ; flesh rosy red, crisp, and 
most excellently flavored ; seeds small, pale, dun-colored, 
distinctly marked with brown at the small end. 

Citron. — This variety is grown and sold to some extent 
for preserving. Fruit small, round, and even ; skin light 
and dark green, striped and marbled; flesh pinkish white, 
solid, and without flavor ; seeds red. 

OKRA. 

Okra or Gombo is most generally grown at the South. 
I well remember, when my father was engaged in market- 
gardening he ahvays planted a few rows of okra, and the 
product was readily sold in New York at remunerative 
prices, and there is no doubt a limited quantity may be 
annually grown in the farm-garden w4th profit. 



118 FAEil-GAEDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

Cultivation. — It requires plenty of manure and light 
soil, and may be cultivated in the same manner as sweet 
corn. The seeds should not be planted before the middle 
of May. It is well to use plenty of seed, as some are 
liable to rot, and when the plants are nicely up thin to four 
in a hill, or twelve inches apart when grown in rows. 

Cutting for Market. — The pods are edible when about 
half-grown, or before the upper part has become hard, 
when they should be cut and shipped in open barrels. 

Seed. — The pods arc ribbed, and contain an abundance 
of seeds, which lay in rows under each rib. When ripe, 
which may be known by the pods cracking open, they 
should be cut and put in a loft to dry, when they may 
be thrashed in bags, or opened by hand, giving the pod a 
sudden twist, and shelling the seeds into a sieve. I much 
prefer this plan, as the seeds are not so apt to be broken, 
and the work may be done of evenings, rainy days, or at 
odd spells. 

It can be easily cleaned by the fan-mill or a good breeze 
and a No. 8 sieve. The seed is not good more than two 
years. 

Varieties. — ^The varieties usually grown are the *' tall " 
and " dwarf," the former growing six feet high, and pro- 
ducing long slender pods ; the latter three feet high, with 
short thick pods, and is considered more productive than 
the former, which however produces the most showy pods 
for market. 

ONION. 

This is a very important crop, both to the market-gar- 
dener and for the farm-garden. Its culture is simple, the 
demand large, and the crop most generally a paying one. 
Perliaps I cannot express my self more comprehensively on 
this subject than to give entire an article entitled " Onion 



OXION. 119 

Culture " wliicli I wrote for the " Greenpoint (L. I.) 
Times," with some additional remarks. 

" The high price obtained for this vegetable for several 
years past has attracted the attention of farmers in those 
sections where the soil and climate are adapted to its cul- 
tivation. South of New York, as a rule, onions can not 
be grown to any degree of perfection, direct from the seed, 
not even in the market-gardens of New Jersey, and the 
vicinity of New York City, and those adjacent to Phila- 
delphia, all of which, perhaps, contain the finest garden- 
ing soil in the United States. 

*' Gardeners in the sections named, find it necessary to 
use what are termed * sets,' which are produced by 
sowing the seed very thick, in rather poor soil, and in mid- 
summer ; when the tops become dry, they are taken up 
with trowel and sieve, placed thinly in lofts to dry, and 
upon the approach of very cold weather put in heaps and 
covered with straw mats, straw, or hay. 

"During the fall they are overhauled, and all that arc 
much larger than a marble are taken out and sold for 
'pickling onions,' or sometimes are planted about the 
first of September, becoming quite strong by winter, and 
are sold early in spring as green onions. These larger 
sets, or 'rareripes,' as they are usually called, would run 
to seed in time, so they must be disposed of before the 
seed-stalks form. The small sets are planted as early in 
spring as the ground can be worked. The land is kept 
rich by being every year very highly manured. It is 
plowed deep, finely harrowed, and smoothed, and rows 
marked out with a drill containing seven to ten teeth, 
set ten inches apart. The sets are placed about two 
inches apart in the rows, pressed in with the thumb 
and finger, and raked over with a wooden rake. Six rows 
constitute a bed, every seventh drill being left for a path, 
from which three rows on either side can be weeded at a 
time. The onions from these sets are sold mostly in 



120 FARM-GARDENIXG AXD SEED-GROWIXG. 

bunches while green, to clear the ground for a second 
crop, some being left to dry, for as they mature much 
earlier than those in sections where they are produced 
direct from seed, usually command high prices. 

" Onion sets form an important article in the stock of 
seedsmen, as they send thousands of bushels to the 
Southern States annually. 

" The soil and climate of the eastern part of Long Island, 
and those portions of the "New England States bordering 
on the Sound and salt-water bays, seem to be especially 
adapted to the production of onions from seed, and there 
is perhaps no better fertilizer for this crop than sea-weed, 
BO abundant in these waters, worked over in the hog-pen, 
and composted with Btable-manure, muck, fish, etc. A 
top-dressing of guano, ashes, or bone-flour will be bene- 
ficial in forwarding the crop, unless the land is very rich. 
To grow onions from seed, select a piece of light loamy 
land, no larger than can positively have perfect attention, 
and let it bo such as is naturally free from weeds, and if 
well manured the previous year so much the better. 

" If it has not been fall-plowed, let it be cleared of all 
vines, grass, or rubbish ; plow in narrow furrows eight 
inches deep, harrow thoroughly, and smooth with the 
back of the harrow, then apply the manure, forty two- 
horse loads to the acre,which should be partly decomposed ; 
spread it evenly, and plow again. 

'• In replowing have the manure scraped into the furrows, 
that it may be all covered ; apply guano, bone, or ashes if 
to be used, again harrow well, and smooth the surface. 
Stretch a line straight on either side, and mark the rows 
with a drill made in the shape of a T> with wooden teeth 
nailed on the cross-piece, any required distance apart, lap- 
ping the outer tooth in the inner drill, and so on until the 
bed is finished. 

*' I adopt the plan described above, that is, ten-inch 



OXION. 121 

rows, leaving every seventh drill for a path, but some 
prefer twelve and others fourteen and sixteen inches space 
between the rows, sowing every drill. Use a seed-sower 
for depositing the seed, as it can be done easier, quicker, 
and more evenly than by hand, and cover with a common 
wooden rake. From three to five pounds of seed will be 
required for an acre, and until the ground has become 
rich sow very thin. 

" The same land may be used for an indefinite time. Be 
sure to use only new seed, as it is not sure to grow the 
second year, and is entirely worthless thereafter. As 
soon as the rows can be plainly seen, loosen the soil 
with a push or scuffle lioe, running close to the rows, and 
when necessary weed in the rows by hand, repeating as 
often as requisite to keep clean, but avoid cutting the 
onions as they begin to form. The common hoe may be 
used to advantage the second cleaning, to loosen the soil. 
Should there be places where they are in bunches, which 
sometimes will happen, they may be thinned to one or 
two inches apart. When the tops have become nearly 
dry pull the onion, lay in rows, and when thoroughly dry 
cut away the tops and store the onions in a cool, dry 
place, if they are to be kept, choosing a dry time for this 
business. Unless one has suitable storage room it is as 
well to sell the crop from the field, and though the price 
may not be so high as in winter or spring yet the risks of 
spoiling are avoided. The main varieties of onions are 
Large Red, Yellow Dutch, Yellow Danvers, and White 
Portugal ; the first being considered the best for main 
crop from seed, and is the favorite in market, the second 
the most suitable for sets. 

" In conclusion I would say to those who contemplate 
onion culture, try it on a small scale at first, and after 
ascertaining by experience the amount of labor necessary 
to be performed on a given quantity of land, cost of 
manures, etc., as well as the amount of money to be 
6 



122 FAKM-GAEDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

realized from a crop, it can be determined whether it 
will pay." 

The foregoing article explains the general method of 
growing the crop, but as I propose to make every subject 
complete, I will also give directions for marketing, grow- 
ing the seed, etc. 

Preparing for Market. — The ripe onions may be 
shipped in bags or barrels, and should only be packed 
when thoroughly dry. 

Green onions from sets are marketed in bunches when 
scarcely half-grown, and from thence until the tops are 
dry, using twelve to a bunch at first, and reducing the 
number to six or seven as they increase in size. 

It is well to use such as show signs of running to seed, 
first, as they do not form large bulbs, but are quite as 
good as any when young. 

The onions must be pulled, removed to the market- 
house, divested of decaying outer leaves, nicely washed, 
and tied in round bunches. 

When the tops have become partially dry and the bulb 
nearly ripe, they liiay be bunched without washing. 

Growing Sets. — Onion sets now form an important 
article in the seedsman's stock, and may be grown with 
profit by the seed-grower who has land suited to their 
production. 

The ground should be of a light character, free from 
stones or gravel, in good condition, though not rich, and 
be prepared the same as directed for growing the onions, ex- 
cepting of course the manure. Sow very early in the spring. 
Mark out rows ten inches apart, sowing six rows to a bed, 
and leaving every seventh for a path, using thirty pounds 
of seed to the acre, that they may be very thick, to pre- 
vent them growing large, the object of which has been 
already explained, and I may here add that the smaller 
the sets the better, and the higlier price they will com- 



ONioif. 123 

mand, those scarcely larger than Marrowfat peas being 
preferred by gardeners to a larger size. 

They must be kept scrupulously clean, and if the 
growth is over-rank the tops must be pressed down by 
rolling, or otherwise, to cause the roots to " bulb." 
, When the tops are partially dry, cut or shear them off, 
lift the sets by running a trowel under them, casting into 
a No. 3 sieve, by which the earth can be removed. Ex- 
pose them for a few days to the sun and air, covering at 
night. When fairly dry, store in lofts, three or four 
inches thick, and upon the approach of cold weather place 
them in heaps and cover with mats or straw. 

When needed for sale or use, run them once or twice 
through the fan-mill. They should not be moved or 
handled while in a partially frozen state, nor kept long in 
bulk after the cold weather is past. 

Seed. — Onions for seed are grown ia the same manner 
as for market, and may be stored and wintered over as 
directed for sets. 

They are, however, when full grown, more easily injured 
by hard freezing than the sets, consequently a warm place 
must be selected, and more protection be given, especially 
with the White Portugal, which is very susceptible of in- 
jury from freezing. The selections should be made in 
accordance with the form, color, and general distinguishing 
points of the variety, and a few extra choice specimens be 
planted for stock seed. The soil in which to grow onion 
seed should be moderately rich, but if over-abundantly 
manured, the blossoms are liable to blight and no seed be 
produced. 

As soon as the ground can be worked in the spring, 
plow and harrow thoroughly, turning under a light dress- 
ing of manure, unless it was well manured the previous 
season. Plow furrows six inches deep and three feet 
apart, in which set the onions four to six inches apart, and 
cover with a hoe. Onions for seed maybe planted in the 



124 FAEM-GAEDENING AND SEED-GKOWING. 

summer to good advantage, in the manner here given, pro- 
vided they can be put out early, before the first of Sep- 
tember, to insure a strong growth before winter. 

They will stand the winter without protection, the seed 
will be produced earlier than by spring planting, and the 
time can be better spared than at the latter season. When 
the seed is ripe, which may be known by the upper part 
of the stalks together with the seed-pods becoming yellow, 
and a portion of the latter l)ursting open, the heads must 
be cut, placed in barrels, carried to the loft, and spread 
thin. When thoroughly dry, they may be thrashed and 
passed through the fan-mill. 

By repeating this several times the most of the seed 
will be clean, but there will still remain a part mixed with 
such pods as have become hard, which can only be sepa- 
rated by washing. This is done by placing a quantity 
into a tub of watei;, stirring a few moments, and gently 
pouring the water off. This will remove all pods and 
light seed, and the heavy seed which remains in the 
bottom must be spread on boards to dry. The whole 
crop may be washed in this manner, after twice running 
through the fan-mill, if deemed advisable, as it will not 
be injured by the process, provided a clear bright day is 
selected for the purpose, and the seed for some time after 
spread thin in a loft. It must not be put in bulk until 
thoroughly dry. 

The final cleaning may be accomplished by No. 14 sieve. 
The seed can not be depended on to germinate after one 
year, though a part will grow at two years old when well 
kept. 

VAPwIETIES. 

Large Red Wethersfield. — This is the variety princi- 
pally grown from seed. Bulb round and broad, flattened at 
the top ; skin deep red. 



PARSLEY. 125 

Yellow DanverS. — The best of the "yellows" for grow- 
ing from seed. Bulb nearly round ; skin brownish yel- 
low. 

Yellow Dlltcb* — The variety generally used for produc- 
ing sets. Bulb round, broad, and flat ; skin clear bright 
yellow. 

White Portugal, — The leading " white " variety. 
Usually commands a good price in the market, but owing 
to its liability to mildew, is an uncertain crop. Does not 
keep well, and when grown for seed should be set out in 
the summer if any way possible. Bulb round, broad, and 
flat ; skin silvery white, sometimes tinged with pink. 

Potato Onion* — This does not produce seed, but is pro- 
pagated by a natural increase of from four to six bulbs, 
which form from the parent-root. They are the earliest 
dry onions which come to market. 

Plant early in spring, in light, rich soil, marking rows 
fifteen inches apart, three inches deep, setting the bulbs 
six inches apart, and entirely under ground. Around 
these the young bulbs form and grow, and they should be 
lightly covered with soil, in process of hoeing. Keep free 
from weeds, and when ripe treat the same as those grown 
from seed. They do not keep well unless carefully pre- 
served. 

PARSLEY. 

The demand for this vegetable is rather limited, and as 
yet hardly a suitable crop for the farm-garden, but as the 
American seed is generally preferred, it is here noticed as 
being of some importance to the seed-grower. It must be 
sown quite early in spring, in good soil, in the same way 
as carrots, and afterward treated the same as that crop. 

When thinned, the plants, drawn out, are bunched and 
sold, and later the leaves ai-e cut from the growing plant 
and similarly disposed of, a bunch consisting of about as 



126 FARiI-GARDENI>fG AND SEED-GROWIXG. 

much as can be encircled by the tlmmb and forefinger. It 
can be taken up and preserved for winter use, or to trans- 
plant for seed in trenches, similar to celery, or bedded in 
the manner of preserving " late cabbages " for seed, par- 
tially burying the leaves, and covering lightly with coarse 
manure or litter. When thus kept, it is taken out, washed, 
and tied in bunches of three or four, the root and leaves 
entire. It can be sown in cold-frames, in rows twelve 
inches apart, and being protected by sashes, will be fit to 
cut in winter, at which season it formerly paid enormous 
profits, but now the supply exceeds the demand. 

Seed» — The simplest plan is, when sowing a bed of car- 
rots or beets, to sow every third row with parsley, thin- 
ning to six inches apart, which jvill give it forty-five 
inches between rows when the other crop is removed. 
When thus sown, in the fall go over and cut out all imper- 
fect plants, ridge the earth to but not over them, and at 
the approach of severe cold weather cover lightly with 
coarse litter, which must be removed early in the spring. 
When taken up in the fall, as previously noticed, the roots 
may be set out in four-foot rows one foot apart, and in 
either case keep clean by cultivator and hoe. 

The seed much resembles that of celery, grows and rip- 
ens the same, and the directions given for harvesting and 
cleaning that are applicable to this crop, using 'No. 20 
sieve for the final cleaning. The seed will germinate when 
two years old. 

Varieties. — The "Double Curled" and "Triple 
Curled " are the varieties principally grown, the " Plain " 
or single leaf not being salable. The former is the most 
hardy, and generally grown for out-door crop, the second 
being used for growing under glass. 

PARSI^IP. 

This is extensively grown by market-gardeners, and is 
one of the leading root-crops for the farm-garden, not only 



PAESNIP. 127 

Tvitli a view to growing for market, on account of its avail- 
ability for shipping, but it possesses valuable properties 
which recommend it as a food for stock. It generally 
commands fair prices, and from the fact of its being com- 
paratively non-perishable, the market is seldom glutted, 
and should this perchance occur, and continue through the 
season, the roots may be used to advantage for feeding 
animals. 

Soil and Preparataon. — Parsnips require good, strong, 
free soil, which may be prepared in the manner directed 
for carrots, using one half more manure, and as the seed 
is very light, and naturally weak in the germ, thick grow- 
ing is essential. They may be sown from early spring 
until June, but early sowing is advisable, as the 
seed will not germinate well in hot, dry weather. The 
after-culture is exactly the same as directed for car- 
rots, and in fact the remarks under that head in 
reference to harvesting, marketing, etc., are in the main 
applicable to this crop. Parsnips are usually taken up 
and stored late in the fall to be ready for winter market- 
ing, but they are perfectly hardy, and when grown solely 
for seed may be left until spring, when they should be 
taken up, selections made, and the best transplanted, and 
cultivated as directed for carrots, having the rows four 
feet apart. The seed should never be grown in sections 
where the Wild Parsnip grows, as it will mix and be 
spoiled. The seeds are produced in clusters or heads, and 
two seeds always grow together, lying the one flat against 
the other. When these seeds part, the heads should be 
cut, as such are ripe, and after drying in a loft, they can 
be thrashed, passed through the fan-mill twice, and 
cleaned by No. 10 sieve. 

It ripens unevenly and requires repeated cuttings. It 
will seldom germinate more than one year. 

Varieties. — ^Tliat known a^ the " Long Smooth Cup " 



128 FAKM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

or " Hollow-Crowned " is the only variety grown to any 
extent for marketing. 

PEA. 

This is extensively cultivated for market, generally in 
the farm-gardens not very remote from the place of sale, 
except so far as its cultivation in the Southern States is 
concerned. There quantities are raised for New York 
and other Northern markets, and in consequence prices 
for " home-grown " peas are not so good as they might 
be, were it not for this competition. 

Still, when Northern peas come to market the others 
soon disappear, as those fresh-picked are far superior in 
flavor to such as have been shipped. Early peas, for 
Northern growers, may not be considered a very profitable 
crop in general, but they come in when there is but little 
else for market, and, as an old Dutch gardener once re- 
marked, they bring in some " early monish," and beside 
the ground is cleared in time and left in good condition 
for a second crop. 

Marrowfat peas, from their more prolific yield and 
higher prices obtained, bring better returns, but the 
land can not be cleared so early. 

Soil and Preparation. — ^Peas require a light soil, and 
to get an abundant yield, a liberal quantity of manure 
must be applied. 

Land lying to the southward and sheltered from the 
north winds is preferable for early peas, as it is important 
to have them in market as early as possible to obtain the 
best prices. Plow and harrow well ; mark out furrows 
six inches deep, four feet apart for the early, and five feet 
for the late varieties. 

Spread well-rotted manure or compost in the furrows, 
allowing a good shovelful to one yard of row. 

Sowing and Cultivation. — Early peas must be sown as 



PEA. 129 

soon as the ground can be worked, and may be the first 
crop planted. Sow quite thick in the rows on the ma- 
nure, covering with a rake or hoe to a depth of three 
inches or more. When deep planted, they will produce 
the most. As soon as they are up, use the cultivator and 
hoe, which repeat twice, pulling weeds from the rows by 
hand. When grown on a large scale, it will not pay to 
"brush" the vines, and if allowed to lay long in one 
position, the part of the vine below will rot ; therefore, 
every day or two after the vines have fallen down they 
must be laid over by means of a hoe-handle, turning one 
way one day, and reversing the next. This must be done 
until the peas are fit for market, and when grown for 
seed, continued occasionally until they are ripe. 

Marketing. — When the pods have filled out plump, 
and before they become hard, they are marketable, and 
must be plucked, being careful not to tear the vines out 
in handling, and may be put in bags or open barrels for 
shipping, except when sent long distances, in which case 
small crates are preferable, as peas are very liable to heat 
and decay when long packed in heavy bulk. The pick- 
ing is often done in a great measure by German women, 
and where such help can be obtained, it is the best for 
this and similar purposes. 

Seed. — ^The bulk of peas sold in this country for seed 
are grown in Europe, principally in England, where they 
are produced quite cheaply, and free from the "bug" 
which is so common in American-grown peas. The egg 
of the insect is laid in the blossom or in the young pea, 
where it hatches, producing an insect of considerable size 
known as the "pea-bug," which eats its way out, leaving 
a hole in the pea, Avhich spoils the appearance, but does 
not in the least affect the vitality, as the germ is never 
destroyed. 

Gardeners who understand this prefer American-grown 
6* ■ 



130 FAEM-GAEDENIXG AND SEED-GROWIXG. 

seed for early planting. The manner of growing for seed 
is the same as for market, as is also the after-treatment. 

When the pods begin to dry, the seed is ripe, and the 
vines must then be pulled, and allowed to lie a day or two, 
but it is very important to get them thrashed as soon as 
dry, for if they should get wet after becoming ripe, the 
chances are that much of the seed will be spoiled. 

They can be easily thrashed with a flail, taking care 
not to break the seed, and can be readily cleaned by the 
fan-mill. 

They should be spread thin in a loft, and allowed to 
become perfectly dry before being packed. 

The seed retains its vitality two years. 

Varieties. — More or less of the choice European vari- 
eties are planted for market, but the larger growers prefer 
the 

Philadelphia Extra Early. — This is of good size, full, 
plump pods, and the earliest variety grown which has the 
necessary requisites. Vine two and a half feet. 

Marrowfat — White and Black-eyed. — There are 
many Marrow peas, especially the wrinkled varieties, 
which are far superior to these in flavor, but which 
do not possess the requisites for marketing, hence 
these old varieties are still extensively cultivated for this 
purpose. Pods large and plump; vine about four feet, 
and abundant bearers. 

PEPPER. 

Grown to some extent for market, and almost univer- 
sally in 2:>rivate gardens, hence more or less seed is in de- 
mand. The seed may be sown in hot-beds the same as the 
egg-plant, it requiring considerable moisture to swell 
it; the plants are to be thinned to three inches each 
way, or may be transplanted at that distance into a new 
hot-bed. They require a loamy soil and an abundance of 



POTATOES. 



131 



manure. Plant the latter part of May, in rows three feet 
apart, and eighteen inches between the plants. 

Marketing.— The fruit is marketable when about half- 
srrown, though some may be sold when ripe, and may be 
shipped in open barrels or crates. They should be cut 
with a part of the stem, but never broken from the plant. 
Seed.— The seed is produced about the core attached 
to the stem within the pods, and is ripe when the pods 
are red and begin to shrivel, at which time the fruit may 
be gathered, mashed or ground, and the seed washed out 
the same as that of the egg-plant. 

The seed retains its vitality two years. 
Varieties.— The varieties are quite numerous, the lead- 
ing sorts being the Bell or Bull-Kose and the Squash. 
They are both red when ripe, the former large, quite 
blunt and uneven at the lower or blossom end, but some- 
times tapering. The latter is about one third as large as 
the Bell, in shape broad and flat, very similar to a Tea- 
plate squash. 

POTATOES. 

There is perhaps no vegetable grown in which the 
public are so much interested as the potato, and many 
farmers count upon it as one of their main crops. Of late 
years, however, the uncertainty of getting a crop renders 
it hazardous to plant largely. 

To those who have seen the tremendous yields of this 
esculent in years gone by, there naturally arises m their 
minds the query : " What is the cause of the failure of 
the potato-crop of late years?" "Is it because the soil 
has become exhausted of some particular mgredient? 
or "Have the seasons changed sufficiently to produce a 
damaging effect?" or "Is it not more likely the seed has 
run oSt by long-continued planting from the same stock, 
and too frequently the use of small or inferior seed ? 



132 FABM-GAEDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

It is an established fact that all vegetables are improved 
by changmg, thit is, getting seed from a distance, and 
from soil and climate varying from that in which it is to 
be planted. This theory would seem to be established 
with regard to the potato when we consider what great 
results have been achieved with the new varieties recently 
disseminated. Take for instance the Early Rose, which 
in some cases has yielded more than one hundred and 
twenty-five and quite commonly one hundred pounds 
from one pound of seed. So with the Peerless, which wher- 
ever tried has proved most excellent. I might also men- 
tion a number of others which gave much better results 
than the old varieties under similar treatment. It is not 
my object to try to persuade faimers to discard the old 
varieties and go into new ones, though many of the latter 
are worth a fair trial, and every grower should test for 
himself. It is quite natural for a man when he wishes to 
save seed from garden vegetables to select the best. For 
insta'nce, he saves the finest and best shaped tomatoes, the 
longest and smoothest cucumbers, the sweetest m.elons, 
the smoothest onions, and in fact everything having the 
best qualities according to its kind. 

He does this because he knows they can be, and are, 
annually improved by this means, whereas, on the other 
hand, the varieties would soon run out if seed was saved 
promiscuously. This fact being then universally established 
in regard to the vegetables of the garden, is it not reason- 
able to attribute the failure of the potato in a great mea- 
sure to the continued planting of other than choice 
selected seed without change ? 

Soil, Preparation, and Planting.— Early potatoes, in 
which the farm-gardener is more particularly interested, 
require a loamy soil, Vv^hich should be plowed moderately 
deep, and finely harrowed, turning under thirty two-horse 
loads of well-rotted manure, or harrowing in one thou- 
sand pounds of bone-flour or six hundred pounds of guano 



POTATOES. 133 

to the acre. They should be planted as early in the 
spring as the ground can be worked. 

Mark out furrows six inches deep, thirty inches apart, 
in which drop the seed one foot apart, and cover with a 
hoe, or throw a light furrow over them with the plow, 
and level with the back of tlie harrow. Fallow ground 
is preferable to sward for early potatoes, but when sward 
land is to be used for this crop, the seed may be put in as 
the land is plowed, planting every third furrow, in the 
manner that farmers usually pursue, covering only three 
or four inches, or the land may be more deeply plowed 
and furrows made as above, but this can not be so readily 
done on sward as on fallow ground. It is far preferable, 
if possible, to plow the land during August of the preced- 
ing year ; harrow well, and, if you please, sow flat turnips 
broadcast, giving at the same time a dressing of five 
hundred pounds of bone-flour to the acre. After the crop 
is taken ofi", plow again, and harrow thoroughly late in the 
fall, which will leave the land in excellent condition for 
the crop of the following year. Where manure is scarce, 
the furrows may be marked out as first mentioned, and 
the manure, which must be well-rotted, spread in the fur- 
rows, a good shovelful to about six feet of row, or bone- 
flour or guano may be applied lightly in the same manner. 
In regard to the various methods of planting, my obser- 
vations have led me to the following conclusions. In wet 
seasons those manured in the row do the best, and in dry 
seasons those manured broadcast and plowed in give the 
best results, and in order to get between these two ex- 
tremes, spread the manure broadcast, plow the ground, 
and furrow out, as first mentioned, which I believe to be 
the very best method of planting early potatoes. The 
seed should not be covered deeply, but may be slightly 
ridged, just before they come in blossom. The ground 
may be lightly harrowed over just as the first sprouts ap- 
pear which will destroy the first crop of weeds. The 



134 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

after-culture is only to cultivate and hoe to keep free from 
weeds. Various devices have been invented for "dig- 
ging " potatoes, but with the early ones at least, the spade 
or digging-fork is the best. Considerable loss is sustained 
sometimes by the ravages of the " grub," which gnaws 
the surface of the tubers, thus disfiguring them, and 
totally unfitting them for marketing. 

A good dressing of shell-lime or ashes has a tendency 
to destroy these pests, as well as being otherwise beneficial 
to the crop. 

Always plant perfect seed, the largest and best that can 
be had. Cut so as to leave two good eyes to a piece. 
There is much diversity of opinion on this point, as well 
as to what length of time a potato should be cut before 
planting, but I prefer the plan mentioned, and at such time 
as may be convenient, within a fortnight of the proposed 
time of planting. 

Varieties. — The varieties of potatoes are numerous, and 
new ones are being constantly added. Many varieties 
have only local reputations, and even the Early Rose, so 
widely disseminated, and such a general favorite, fails en- 
tirely with some growers ; hence, the only proper plan for 
a grower to determine which is the hest for himself, is to 
try a few of the leading sorts. 

In growing potatoes for seed, care should be taken to 
have every variety true to name, to use only perfect seed 
in planting, and to grow them in new soil if possible. 

They should be perfectly ripe before digging, taken up 
when dry, and stored in pits or elsewhere away from frost 
until wanted, but avoid warm cellars, which may cause the 
tubers to sprout and injure them for seed. 

RADISHES. 

These vegetables are sold in immense quantities in all 
markets, and many are grown in the Southern States and 



RADISHES. 135 

shipped North. They are, however, of a very perishable 
nature, and soon heat when packed in bulk. 

Soil, Preparation, and Sowing. — Radishes to be pro- 
duced in perfection must have light, warm, and rich soil, 
and that which has been previously well manured is pre- 
ferable to manuring at the time of sowing, as in the latter 
case they are apt to be attacked by a small grub, and the 
radishes become, to use the common phrase, " wormy," 
hence not marketable. If the soil requires fertilizing at 
the time of sowing, use bone-flour, one thousand pounds 
to the acre. 

They may be sown broadcast, over a bed of beets or 
carrots just sown, and raked in with them, and will come 
off in time to allow the main crop to be worked. This 
plan is objectionable, because such crops are generally 
sown on fresh-manured land, hence the radishes are liable 
to be wormy, and then in gathering the bed must be 
walked over, often in wet weather, thus packing the 
ground, and probably damaging the main crop more 
than the radishes can repay. It is far preferable to plow 
and harrow the ground very early in the spring, sow the 
seed broadcast, ten pounds to the acre, and cover by 
raking or light harrowing. The crop will be off in time 
to allow of beets or carrots being sown, when the 
manure necessary for those crops may be applied, the 
ground again plowed, which will be of great benefit, 
the seed sown, and when ready the plants can be worked 
without interruption. Radishes may be sown in hot- 
beds alone, or a few seeds be sprinkled in at the time 
of sowing cabbage or lettuce seeds, or they may be sown 
in a cold-frame, after the plants are removed, covered 
with sashes, and by coming early command good prices. 

The white and yellow varieties may be sown at in- 
tervals during the summer, and the Black Spanish and 
Chinese Rose in August, for winter use. 

Marketing* — The long varieties must be tied in flat 



136 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

bunches of from six to nine, and the round sorts in 
round bunches of similar number. 

The flat bunches can more easily be washed by placing 
a board, sunken at one end by a weight, in a tub of 
water, upon which the bunch can be laid, and rubbed 
over with a soft brush. The round varieties can gene- 
rally be cleaned by dipping a few times in water, cither 
before or after bunching. 

Pack in barrels, with holes in the bottom to allow the 
water to escape, or, if for a distant market, drain well 
and pack in small, well-ventilated crates. 

Seed. — When grown for seed, sow in rows eighteen 
inches apart ; when well up, use the push-hoe, and when 
of fair size thin to six inches apart, leaving such only as 
are true to the variety, and afterward give a deep hoeing, 
and remove all weeds from the rows which may have 
been overlooked at the time of thinning. 

The Yellow Summer, Spanish, and Chinese varieties 
must be sown in August, wintered in pits, and set out in 
spring the same as turnips. Gardeners generally prefer 
the European seed of the scarlet varieties, as they make 
less tops or leaves, but the American, one year from the 
European seed, produces far superior radishes. The 
proper plan is to sow a few rows of imported seed, and 
from the product sow for main crop the next season ; and 
every year, beside the main bed, put in a few rows of 
imported seed for stock, and so repeat. The imported 
will not yield much seed at first, but from that a fair 
crop may be had, and this will produce the finest radishes, 
but if continually grown from the same stock, the tops 
get long and the roots tough and spindling. When the 
seed is ripe, which may be known by the pods becoming 
dry, the whole may be reaped or mowed ofi*, and left in 
rows, and occasionally turned until perfectly dry, when 
it may be thrashed. The pods are of a peculiar spongy 



KHUBAKB. 137 

structure, and unless perfectly dry will not break, but 
rather mash down by thrashing. 

When thrashed, the stalks can be raked away, and the 
seed easily cleaned by passing twice through the fan-mill. 
It retains its vitality three years. 

Varieties I — The varieties are numerous, but few are 
adopted by gardeners, the principal being the Scarlets. 

Lon^ Scarlet. — Root long, slender, growing much 
above ground ; color deep pink, pale below ground, white 
at the point. 

Scarlet Turnip-rooted. — Root round, otherwise similar 
to the above, rather deeper colored. 

White Summer. — ^Root large, semi-long, tapering ; color 
white, above ground greenish, and sometimes pink. 

Yellow Summer. — Root large, nearly or quite round ; 
color russet yellow. 

Black Spanish. — Root large, semi-long; color dull 
black. 

Rose Chinese Winter. — Root large, narrow at the top, 
growing quite thick and flat at the bottom ; color deep 
pink above, pale pink or rose below ground. 

RHUBARB. 

This is extensively sold in all leading markets, and may 
be shipped to advantage when carefully packed. 

It is propagated by parting the roots, leaving one eye 
to each piece of root. 

The seeds rarely produce as good as the j)arent variety. 

Soil and Plantini^. — It requires very rich soil, and for 
early, light land and a warm exposure are essential, though 
a heavy loam will produce the largest stalks. The land 
may be prepared the same as directed for asparagus, and 
heavy dressings of manure must be annually applied. 

Mark out furrows five feet apart, and set the roots three 



138 FAEM-GAEDENING AND SEED-GEOWIXG. 

feet in the rows, covering the crowns about two inches. 
The after-cultivation consists in cultivating and hoeing, 
and the general manner of working is the same as directed 
for asparagus. 

It may be grown in a forcing pit by setting large roots 
thick together, burying six inches with fine manure, and 
covering with sashes, which need seldom be opened, 
except to apply water, which may be applied often enough 
to keep the bed somewhat moist. Grown in this way it 
comes early and commands good prices. 

Marketing* — The stalks must be pulled, trimmed, tied in 
bunches of three to six, and the leaves cut away one half. 
It may be packed in ventilated boxes for shipping. 

Seed. — The seed is produced on a tall stalk thrown up 
from the center of the plant, and when ripe and dry may 
be stripped by hand. 

The seed-stalks should never be allowed to grow when 
leaf-stalks are wanted for market. The seed retains its 
vitality two years. 

Varieties. — The leading varieties are Linnaeus for early 
and Victoria for main crop. 

SALSIFY OR OYSTER-PLANT. 

The demand for this vegetable is steadily increasing, 
and considerable quantities are now sold. The seed is 
difficult to grow, or rather to save, as small birds are very 
fond of it, and attack it when in the milk, while yet unfit 
to gather. Still, when it can be saved it is in demand, 
as the American seed is preferred to the imported. 

Soil and Preparation. — The soil should be light and 
rich, and may be prepared as directed for carrots, using 
double the quantity of manure. The after-cultivation is 
the same as for that crop. 

Marketing. — ^The roots must be trimmed, washed, and 



SPINACH. 139 

tied ill round bunches of six to eight. It is marketable 
in the fall, but more generally used in winter, and can be 
put away to use at that season in trenches like celery, or 
in beds like late cabbage for seed, partially covering the 
leaves. 

Seed. — The seed is produced the second year, and the 
plants, being perfectly hardy, may remain in the ground 
for that purpose. 

The seed-heads are very similar to those of the Dande- 
lion, but much larger, and like that, when the seed is ripe, 
expand to a head covered with furze. The pods should 
be cut when about half-open, cutting the furze away at 
the same time. 

It must be attended to several times each day in the 
hight, as it will soon blow away when fully expanded. 
It retains its vitality two years. There are no varieties. 

SPINACH. 

Extensively grown by market-gardeners, but not a very 
good article for shipping, though it may be grown to 
advantage in localities not very remote from market. 

Soil and Preparation.— Spinach does best in a light 
loam, which, to grow it in perfection, must be highly 
manured. It may follow early cabbage, onions, or any 
early crop which has had a liberal manuring. 

Clear the ground, plow and harrow thoroughly, and 
smooth the surface, turning under twenty two-horse loads 
of stable-manure, or harrowing in one thousand pounds 
of bone-flour, or five hundred pounds of guano, to the 
acre. Mark rows fifteen inches apart, one inch and a half 
deep, in which sow the «eed moderately thin, using about 
six pounds to the acre. The season for sowing is about 
the tenth of September, but may be sown early in the 
spring, but then will not come so early into market, nor 
yield so heavily as when fall-sown. It is quite hardy, and 



140 FARM-GAEDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

may be exposed the entire winter, except in very cold 
localities, where a thin covering of coarse straw late in 
the fall will be beneficial, and which should be removed 
quite early in the spring. Use the push-hoe as soon as 
the rows can be seen, and later give a deep hoeing, which 
repeat again early in spring, thoroughly pulverizing the 
soil. 

Marketing. — It will be marketable when the inner 
leaves have become considerably grown ; then the larger 
plants may be cut out with a knife, and later the crop may 
be cut indiscriminately, by running a push-hoe imder the 
rows, always cutting so as to have all the leaves attached 
to a small part of the root. The decayed ends of leaves 
must be cut away, after which wash and place in barrels, 
with holes at the bottom, and for long distances it will be 
advisable to drain out well before packing. 

Seed. — Much spinach seed is imported, but the Ameri- 
can-grown is considered to produce the most hardy plants, 
and hence is preferred by market-gardeners. It should 
invariably be sown in the fall to produce good seed, and 
otherwise grown as for market. 

When the seed is ripe, which may be known by its 
changing from green to brown, and the leaves drying 
away, the stalks must be pulled, laid in rows for a day to 
dry, and thrashed. It ripens irregularly, and two gather- 
ings will be necessary. After thrashing, rake away the 
stalks, and pass the seed twice through the fan-mill. A 
considerable portion will be in clusters of five or six seeds, 
which may be separated by rubbing through No. 5 sieve. 
Again pass through the fan-mill, clean with No. 14 sieve, 
and place in a loft on cloths to dry, before storing. The 
seed retains its vitality two years. 

Varieties. — The varieties are few, and that known as 
the Round-leaved is the one in general cultivation. 



SQUASHES. 141 



SQUASHES. 

These are seldom found in market-gardens ; they belong 
properly to the farm-garden, and are well adapted fpr ship- 
ping. They are grown to some extent at the South for 
Northern markets, coming considerably earlier than we 
can produce them, and the season may be advanced there 
as well as here, by starting the early varieties on sods, in 
cold-frames, as directed for cucumbers, thereby also, in a 
measure, avoiding the " striped bug." 

Soil, Planting, etc.— The soil for squashes should be 
a light loam. 

The season for planting in the open ground is the middle 
of May. 

The preparation is the same as for melons or cucumbers, 
as is also the after-cultivation. Plant the early or bush 
varieties five by four feet, and the late or running sorts 
twelve by six feet apart. The same attention must also 
be paid to the " striped bug," which is very destructive 
to these plants. 

Marketing* — ^The early varieties are marketable when 
scarcely half-grown, always before the skin becomes hard, 
and may be shipped in barrels. They require some care 
in cutting and handling to avoid bruising. The late sorts 
must be allowed to ripen, and can be shipped in barrels or 
in bulk. 

Seed. — Great care should be taken to grow varieties far 
apart, as they readily mix in the blossom, and moreover 
they should not be grown near melons nor anything of 
this nature. When ripe, which may generally be deter- 
mined by the hardness of the skin, the squashes may be 
gathered, cut open with a hatchet, the seeds scraped out, 
and afterwards treated as directed for cucumber seeds. 

It retains its vitality ten years. 



142 FAKM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

YARIETIES. 

Early Scalloped Bush. — Of this there are several 
sub-varieties, distinguished by their color — white, yellow, 
striped, etc. — of which the first two are the most popular. 
Plant large and compact ; fruit round, scalloped about the 
edge, oval next the stem, flat or indented at the blossom- 
end. 

Early Crookneck Bush. — Plant same as the above; 
fruit medium size, deep yellow, partly crooked, with 
slender neck, and covered with small wart-like bunches. 

Boston Marrow. — Plant trailing ; fruit medium size, 
egg-shaped, pointed at the ends; skin deep creamy yellow. 
The leading fall variety. 

Hubbard. — The plant, size, and form same as the above ; 
color dull green, brown above. The leading winter variety 
for market. 

SWEET-POTATOES. 

Universally cultivated throughout the United States, 
and extensively grown at the South for market. They do 
not stand handling so well as the common potato, being 
liable to rot quickly when bruised. They can be profitably 
grown in some parts of the Northern States where the 
soil is suitable, but as a general rule are not so dry and 
fine-flavored as when grown at the *' sunny South." 

Growing the Plants. — The plants may be grown in a 
hot-bed prepared as directed under that head, substituting 
sand for the common soil, or they may be started in a 
cold-frame in a warm position, removing the earth and 
using sand. They may also be grown without the aid of 
sashes in a common frame, in a warm and sheltered place, 
covering at night with boards. In a hot-bed the tubers 
should be started about the twentieth of April, and in a 
cold-frame ten days earlier. In either case put two 



SWEET-POTATOES. 143 

inches of sand for the bed, cut the potatoes lengthwise, 
placing them thickly on the bed, cut side down, and cover- 
ing with two inches of sand, which may be increased to 
four inches or more as the plants appear. The bed must 
be kept moist but not wet, and airing be attended to, 
especially with the hot-bed when the plants are up. As 
the first shoots are pulled, more will be formed and grow 
up. Immense quantities of plants are annually sold, and 
there are few localities in w^hich a bed of plants can not 
be disposed of at paying prices. The potatoes for seed 
are usually obtained from the South, as they require a 
warm, dry, and even temperature to preserve them. Seed 
may, however, be saved at the North by digging them on 
a dry day, placing in a loft for a few days to dry, after- 
wards packing in barrels with dry sand, and storing in a 
dry, warm place, always handling with the greatest care, 
to avoid bruising. 

Soil, Preparation, and Planting.— The sweet-potato 
requires a light soil, more sandy than otherwise, w^liich 
should also be dry and Avarm. Plow the ground deep, 
harrow w^ell, and mark out shallow furrows four feet apart. 
In these place well-rotted stable manure or compost, a 
good shovelful to a yard of row ; plow the earth from 
both sides to and over the manure, forming a ridge ; even 
the surface thereof, and set the plants deeply over the 
manure, fifteen inches aj^art. 

The land may be marked out four feet each way, a 
shovelful of manure placed at the angles, and the earth 
raised over it, forming hills, in each of which set two 
good plants. In either case it is well to have the land 
prepared and set the plants after a rain. It is hardly safe 
to plant in this section before the first of June. The after- 
cultivation consists of hoeing the ridges and cultivating 
between, occasionally disturbing the vines to prevent 
them rooting at the joints. 

Marketing. — Northern-grown sweet-potatoes do not 



144 FARM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

keep well under the best of circumstances, and hence it 
is advisable to commence digging early, and sell them 
direct from the field, finishing before frost if possible. 

Varieties. — The varieties are not numerous, the " Kan- 
semond " being the one generally conceded to be the best 
for a Northern climate. 

TOMATOES. 

They are extensively grown for market, and are an impor- 
tant crop for the farm-garden. Fifty years ago they were 
scarcely used for eating, while now hundreds of thousands 
of bushels are annually consumed in this country, show- 
ing that all vegetable productions create a mar- 
ket for themselves, a fact worthy the attention of those 
who from fear that the business of vegetable-growing 
may be overdone are deterred from planting many crops 
which they might grow to advantage. 

Growing the Plants* — The seed may be sown in the 
open ground after frost, but at the North these plants will 
be too late to mature much of the crop, though some will 
ripen. 

To grow them early sow the seed in March in a hot-bed, 
transplant into a new hot-bed, and give the same general 
treatment as directed for egg-plants, though they do not 
require quite so much heat. For seed purposes or main 
crop sow in hot-bed early in April, and transplant into a 
cold-frame, five inches each way, covering with sashes, 
and giving air clear days. By either of these methods, 
the former especially, they could be produced at the South, 
for the Northern market, a fortnight or more earlier than 
they now are. 

Soil, Preparation, and Planting. — Tomatoes will 
grow in almost any soil, but to grow them early, that 
composed mostly of sand is best, and for late and abun- 
dant yield a loamy soil is preferable. The ground should 



TOMATOES. 145 

be plowed, haiTowed, and farrows made four feet apart 
for light, and five feet for heavier soils, cross-furrowing 
three feet apart. At the angles place a half- shovelful of 
"well-rotted manure, which mix with the soil, leaving the 
mass hollow, to receive the plant. I have found bone- 
phosphate an excellent fertilizer for tomatoes in loamy- 
soil, but prefer stable-manure for early crops. The plant- 
ing maybe done from the middle of May until the middle 
of June, taking up the plants with balls of earth when it 
can be done, and choosing a moist time for transplanting. 

MarketlBg. — The fruit should be gathered before fully 
ripe, to be solid, and is usually marketed in baskets, 
holding less than a bushel, or four to a barrel. For ship- 
ping long distances small latticed crates should be used. 

Seed. — Tomatoes for seed should be allowed to get per- 
fectly ripe, when they may be gathered, ground or mashed, 
and placed in barrels to ferment. They may so remain 
for any reasonable length of time without material injury, 
but will be fit to vv-ash out in forty-eight hours, and the 
sooner thereafter the seed is washed the brighter it will be. 

Wash through Nos. 3 and 5 sieves in the manner of egg- 
plant. The seed is of a spongy nature and retains much 
moisture, and to facilitate drying, Avhen it is taken out 
from the tub in No. 10 sieve, take the seed in liandfuls, 
and press firmly to remove the water, after which spread 
on shutters to dry, and treat the same as all other washed 
seeds. The very finest fruit should be chosen for stock 
seed. The seed retains its vitality seven years. 

Varieties. — ^The varieties are numerous, but compara- 
tively few are distinct. 

General Grant. — ^This may be considered as the earliest 
variety, but so far as this is concerned there is very little 
diiference between the various sorts, under the same 
treatment. Fruit of medium size, flat and smooth, solid 
flesh, ripens very even ; color deep red. 
7 



146 PAEM-GARDENING AND SEED-GROWING. 

Large Smooth Red. — This is the leading sort about 
New York. Fruit large, thick, generally smooth, though 
sometimes irregular; solid flesh, ripens even ; color bright 
red. 

Cook's Favorite. — Fruit medium size, round, and uni- 
formly smooth; solid flesh; ripens uneven, that is, the part 
next the stem is frequently quite green in color when the 
other part is rijDC ; color briglit red. 

Trophy. — A variety recently introduced ; an improve- 
ment on the Large Smooth Red. Fruit very large, thick 
and heavy, very smooth, solid flesh, ripens even ; color red. 

TURNIPS. 

These are seldom found in the market-garden, but ex- 
tensively grown in farm-gardens and by regular farmers. 
They usually command fair prices, and when the market 
is glutted can be fed out to good advantage. They are a 
first-class article for shipping, and the Ruta-Bagas are 
often sent to market by boat-loads. The white, flat, early 
varieties are grown to a considerable extent South,' and 
shipped to Northern markets in bunches or in bulk. 

These may be grown to advantage at the North, for 
bunching, if sown very early. The yellow, especially the 
Russia or Ruta-Bagas, are the most salable in winter. 

Soil and Preparation.— Turnips will grow in almost 
any soil which is moderately rich. An essential point is to 
make them grow quickly, otherwise they arc apt to be 
tough and woody. They do best in light loamy soils, and 
that which has been manured for a previous crop is pre- 
ferable to manurinor with stable-manure at the time of 
sowing, as in this case they arc liable to be worm-eaten 
and hence unsalable. Bone-flour is the best fertilizer 
that can be applied at the time of sowing, at the rate of six 
hundred pounds to the acre, broadcast, and harrowed in. 

Only the past fall, I had three beds of Ruta-Bagas, one 



TURNirs. 147 

of which was manured with stable manure, and the other 
two with bone-flour. The former were quite uneven and 
worm-eaten, while the latter were smooth and fine, and 
every way superior to the others. The land should be 
plowed and thoroughly harrowed, to reduce all lumps, 
and the surface smoothed by the back of the harrow. 

Sowing and Cultiyatioil, — When the flat varieties are 
grown early, for bunching, they had better be sown thin, 
in shallow drills, fifteen inches apart, push-hoed when well 
up, thinned to four inches apart, and afterwards have a 
deep hoeing. 

Sow very early in the spring, using two pounds of seed 
to the acre. 

"When these or the Stone varieties are grown late for 
seed or winter marketing, sow the latter part of August, 
broadcast, one pound of seed to the acre, and harrow 
over lightly. The Russia or Ruta-Baga should be sown 
the middle of July, in drills thirty inches apart, to be 
worked with cultivator, or twenty inches and worked with 
a hoe, using one and a half to two pounds of seed to the 
acre. In either case they must be thinned to six or eight 
inches apart when fairly up, and the soil occasionally 
stirred. 

These are liable to be attacked when young by the 
" cabbage or turnip flea," in which case the plants must 
be sprinkled with lime-dust early in the morning. One 
or two applications will free them from these pests. 

Marketing* — Early turnips are marketable when about 
two inches in diameter. They can be pulled, a part of the 
leaves and the tap-root cut away, washed, tied in bunches 
of five to seven, and a part of the tops may be shorn off. 

They may be shipped in well-ventilated barrels or 
boxes. The dry roots should be marketed in barrels or in 
bulk, and when kept over winter, the sprouts must be cut 
off, but they must not be washed. 



148' FARM-GAEDENING AND SEED-GEOWlNG. 

Harvesting and Storing. — The roots should be pulled 
about the middle of November, topped and put away as 
directed in the chapter on storing for winter, always being 
careful not to cut av^ay the heart of such as are intended 
for producing seed. 

Seed. — Turnips for seed must be set out as early as the 
ground can be worked, to insure a full crop. 

They do not require very rich ground ; that which has 
been manured the previous season will not need any more 
fertilizing. When not in a fair state of fertility, apply 
bone-flour in the rows, a good handful to about fifteen 
roots, before covering. The best crop of turnip seed I 
ever raised was manured in this manner. The ground 
should be loamy and well plowed and harrowed. Mark 
out light furrows three feet apart, and with a dibble set 
the turnips fifteen inches apart, fastening the tap-root. 

Cover with earth over the whole root, leaving the 
sprouts above ground. 

They will soon start to grow, when they must be culti- 
vated and hoed, and when they commence to blossom run 
the ridge-plow through and draw the earth about the 
roots to support them against storms. When ripe, which 
may be known by many of the pods becoming dry, the 
whole may be cut with shears or sickles. This must be 
done early in the morning, while the dew is still on, to 
prevent shelling out. When the whole is dry, carry in, 
thrash, and clean, as directed for cabbage seed. Avoid 
growing any two varieties near each other, and esi^ecialiy 
the Ruta-Baga near cabbage seed, as they readily mix. 

The seed is good for four years. 

Varieties. — The varieties are numerous, though but few 
are grown for market. 

Strap Leaf Early White Dutch. — Bulb medium size ; 
flat, white, greenish above ground ; leaves narrow and 
few ; valuable only for early use. 



COXCLUSION. 149 

strap Leaf lied Top.— Bulb medium size, flat, white, 
purplish red above ground. Valuable for bunching and 
early fall, not very salable when the Ruta-Baga is in 
market. 

Yellow Aberdeen or Stone.— Bulb quite large, thick, 
nearly round, pale yellow ; there are two sub-varieties, 
known as " Purple Top " and " Green Top " from the 
color above ground, the former being generally preferred. 

Long White Cowhorn. — Bulb large, long, somewhat 
crooked, whence its name; white, tinged with green, 
and occasionally pink above ground; very firm in flesh and 
well-flavored. Very valuable for stock, and decidedly the 
best white turnip for family use in winter. 

American Ruta-Baga or Russia Turnip. —This is 
the leading market variety. Bulb large, semi-long and 
thick, smooth, tapering at the root, bright yellow. There 
are two sub-varieties, distinguished like those of the 
Aberdeen, and the " Purple Top " is generally preferred, 

CONCLUSION. 

General Management.— The old adage " What is worth 
doing at all is worth doing well " applies very forcibly to 
the business of growing vegetables or seeds, and it is 
worse than folly for any one to carry on either in a loose 
and careless manner, and expect to realize any profit there- 
from. Supposing the soil intended for this purpose and 
all natural advantages to be of the best, unless fertilizers 
are applied to the land, commensurate with the crop taken 
from it, an abundant yield can not be of long duration, 
and it matters not how well the land has been prepared, 
by manuring and other means, unless the crop is taken 
care of after it is sown or planted, all previous labor and 
expense will have been in vain. To begin either branch 
of this business, on a large scale^ without experience, 
must result in disappointment and loss, but for those 



150 FAllM-GAKDEXING AND SEED-GROWIXG. 

among the class of men alluded to in the chapter on 
" Farm-Gardening," who have patience to begin in a small 
way, there is an inviting prospect before them. Having 
already noticed the importance of liberal manuring and 
subsequent care of the crop, I might add the great impor- 
tance o^ preventmg^ rather than destroying, weeds ; the 
plowing and working of the land when in proper condi- 
tion ; the sowing of seeds or planting at the proper time ; 
and, in short, of doing all things in season. By early and 
repeated stirring of the soil, all seeds of weeds near the 
surface are destroyed while in the germ, and it is a grave 
mistake to wait until the weeds can be seen before the 
cultivator and hoe are resorted to. Another important 
point is to exercise judgment in doing the work ; for in- 
stance, there is little use in hoeing or cultivating when the 
ground is very wet, but that is just the time to pull weeds 
from among the young plants in the rows ; and so on, 
through the whole routine, endeavor to arrange the work 
according to the weather or season, so far as may be prac- 
ticable. During the winter months preparations should 
be made for the spring. See that the tools and all things 
are in repair ; cart out manure and place it in large heaps 
near where it is to be used, make up straw mats, mend 
gashes, get out strings for bunching the next season, if 
any are to be used, and, in short, anything that can be 
done should be done, to save time in the hurried season. 
Have enough help at hand to do the work as it comes 
along, and, as I remarked before, do not put in any more 
crops than can positively receive proper attention. The 
matter of marketing will require some judgment. 
Green crops will have to be sold when fit, let the prices 
be what they may, but dry roots have a season of four 
months, sometimes selling highest in the fall, at others 
late in the winter, and vice versa. As a rule, it is best to 
sell oif the most of any crop when fair prices can be 
obtained. 



NUMBER OF PLANTS OR HILLS ON AX ACRE. 



151 



NUMBER OF PLANTS OR HILLS ON AN ACRE. 



Ft. Ft. Plants. 

40 by 40 27 

39 by 39 28 

38 by 38 30 

37 by 37 31 

36 by 30 33 

35 by 35 35 

34 by 34 37 

33 by 33 40 

33 by 33 43 

31 by 31 45 

30 by 30 48 

29 by 29 51 

28 by 28 55 

27 by 27 .' 59 

26 by 26 64 

25 by 25 70 

24 by 24 75 

23 by 23 83 

23 by 22 90 

21 by 21 99 

20 by 20 109 

19 by 19 121 

18 by 18 135 

17 by 17 151 

16 by 16 171 

15 by 15 194 

14 by 14 323 

13 by 13 358 

Ft. In. Ft. In. Plants. 

13 by 13 303 

10 6 by 10 6 361 

10 by 10 436 

9 6 by 9 483 

9 by 9 538 

8 6 by 8 6 603 

8 by 8 680 

• V 6 by 7 6 775 

7 by 7 889 

6 6 by 6 6 1,031 

6 by 6 1,310 

5 e by 5 6 1,440 

5 by 5 1,713 



Ft. In. Ft. In. Plants. 

4 6 by 4 2,151 

4 by 4 2,733 

3 6 by 3 6 3,550 

3 by 3 4,840 

3 by 3 6 5,808 

3 by 3 7,260 

3 by 1 6 9,680 

3 by 1 14,520 

2 6 by 2 6 6,969 

3 6 by 3 ... 8,713 

3 6 by 1 6 11,616 

3 6 by 1 17,424 

3 by 3 10,890 

3 by 1 14,496 

3 by 1 4 16,335 

3 by 1 2 18,668 

3 by 1 21,780 

3 by 10 21,969 

3 by 8 33,670 

3 by 6 43,560 

1 8 by 1 8 15,681 

1 8 by 1 6 17,424 

1 8 by 1 4 19,603 

1 8 by 1 2 23,403 

1 8 by 1 26,136 

1 8 by 10 31,303 

1 8 by 8 39,204 

1 8 by 6 53,273 

1 6 by 1 6 19,668 

1 6 by 1 4 22,058 

1 by 1 3 25,288 

1 6 by 1 29,040 

1 6 by 10 34,859 

1 6 by 8 43,560 

1 6 by 6 58,080 

1 4 by 8 49,005 

1 4 by 6 65,340 

1 4 by 4 98,010 

1 by 1 43,560 

1 by 8 65,340 

1 by 6 87,120 

1 by 4 130,680 



NEW AMERICAN FARM BOOK. 

ORIGINALLT BY 

AUTHOR OP " DISEASES OP DOMESTIC ANIMALS," AND POKMERLT SDITOR OP 

THE "AMERICAK AGRICULTURIST." 

REVISED AND ENLARGED BY 

AUTHOR OP "AMERICAN CATTLE," EDITOR OF THE "AMERICAN SHORT-HOUK 
HERD BOOK," ETC. 

c o:srTEns"T s: 



Introduction. — Tillage Ilusbandry 
— Grazing — Feeding — Breeding — 
Planting, etc. 

Chapter I. — Soils — Classification — 
Description — Management — Pro- 
perties. 

Chapter II. — Inorganic Manures — 
Mineral — Stone — Earth — Phos- 
phatic. 

Chapter III. — Organic Manures — 
Their Composition — Animal — Ve- 
getable. 

Chapter IV. — ^Irrigation and Drain- 
ing. 

Chapter V. — Mechanical Divisions 
of Soils — Spading — Plowing— Im- 
plements. 

Chapter VI.— The Grasses— Clovers 
— Meadows — Pastures — Compara- 
tive Values of Grasses— Implements 
for their Cultivation. 

Chapter VII.— Grain, and its Culti- 
vation — Varieties — Growth — Har- 
vesting. 

Chapter VIII. — Leguminous Plants 
— The Pea— Bean — English Field 
Bean— Tare or Vetch— Cultivation 
—Harvesting. 

Chapter IX.— Roots and Esculents- 
Varieties — Growth — Cultivation — 
Securing the Crops— Uses— Nutri- 
tive Equivalents ot Different Kinds 
of Forage. 

Chapter X.— Fruits— Apples— Cider 
— Vinegar — Pears — Quinces— Plums 
Peaches — Apricots — Nectarines — 
Smaller Fruits— Planting— Cultiva- 
tion— Gathering— Pres erving. 

Chapter XI.— Miscellaneous Objects 
of Caltivatioa, aside from the Or- 
dinary Farm Crops — Broom-corn — 
Flax— Cotton— Hemp— Sugar Cane 
Sorghum— Maple Sugar -Tobacco- 
Indigo— Madder— Wood— Sumach- 
Teasel — Mustard — Hops —Castor 
Bean. 

Chapter XII.— Aids and Objects of 
Agriculture — Rotation of Crops, 

> and tbeir Effects— Weeds— Restora- 



tion of Worn-out Soils — ^Fertilizing 
Barren Lands— Utility of Birds- 
Fences — Hedges — Farm Roads — 
Shade Trees— Wood Lands— Time 
of Cutting Timber— Tools— Agri- 
cultural Education of the Farmer. 

Chapter Xlil. — Farm Buildings — 
House — Barn — Sheds — Cisterns — 
Various other Outbuildings— Steam- 
ing Apparatus. 

Chapter XIV.— Domestic Animals 
— ^Breeding — Anatomy— Respiration 
— Consumption of Food. 

Chapter XV.— Neat or Homed Cattle 
Devons — Herefords— Ayreshires — 
Galloways — Short -horns — Alder- 
neys or Jerseys— Dutch or Holsteiu 
— Management from Birth to Milk- 
ing, Labor, or Slaughter. 

Chapter XVI.— The Dairy- Milk— 
Butter— Cheese— Different Kinds-^ 
Manner of Working. 

Chapter XVII. — Sheep — Merino — 
Saxon — South Down — The Long- 
wooled Breeds— Cotswold— Lincoln 
— Breeding — Management — Shep- 
herd Dogs. 

Chapter XVIII. —The Horse— De- 
scription of Different Breeds— Their 
Various Uses — Breeding— Manage- 
ment. 

Chapter XIX. —The Ass— Mule — 
Comparative Labor of Working 
Animals. 

Chapter XX. — Swine — Different 
Breeds — Breeding— Rearing — Fat- 
tening — Curing Pork and Hams. 

Chapter XXI. — Poultry — Hens, or 
Barn-door Fowls — Turkey — Pea- 
cock—Guinea Hen — Goose — Duck 
— Honey Bees. 

Chapter XXII. — Diseases of Ani- 
mals—What Authority Shall We 
Adopt ? — Sheep — Swine — Treat- 
ment and Breeding of Horses. 

Chapter XXIIL— Conclusion— Gene- 
ral Remarks — The Farmer who 
Lives by his Occupation — The Ama- 
teur Farmer — Sundry Useful Tables. 



SENT POST-PAID, PRICE $2.50. 

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AMERICAN CATTLE: 

Their History, Breeding, and Management. 

By liEWIS F. ALLEN, 

Lato President New- York State Agricultural Society, Editor "American 
Short-norn Herd Book," Author " Kural Architecture," etc., etc. 



Notices hy the Press. 

We consider this the most valuable work that has recently been issued 
from the American press. It embraces all branches of the important subject, 
and fills a vacancy in our agricultural literature for which work the author, by 
his many years' experience and observation, was eminently fitted. ... It 
ought to be in the hands of every owner of cattle, and the country, as well as 
individuals, would soon be much richer for its teachings.— Jowr/io^ of Agri- 
culture^ {St. Louis.) 

The large experience of the author in improving the character of Ameri- 
can herds adds to the weight of his observations, and has enabled him to pro- 
duce a work which will at once make good its claims as a standard authority 
on the subject. An excellent feature of this volume is its orderly, methodical 
rrangement, condensing a great variety of information into a comparatively 
mall compass, and enabling the reader to find the point on which he is seek- 
ing light, without wasting his time in turning over the leaves.— i\r. Y. Tribune. 

This will rank among the standard works of the country, and will be con- 
Bidered indispensable by every breeder of live-stock.— jRrac«ca?i?'arwer,(PMa.) 

We think it is the most complete work upon neat stock that we have 
Been, embodying as it does a vast amount of research and careful study and 
observation.— Wisconsin Farmer. 

His history of cattle in general, and of the individual breeds in particular 
which occupies the first one hundred and eighty pages of the volume, is writ- 
ten with much of the grace and charm of an Allison or a Macaulay. His de? 
scription of the leading breeds is illustrated by cuts of a bull, a cow, and a 
fat ox, of each race. The next one hundred pages are devoted to the sub- 
ject of Breeding. This is followed by chapters on Beef Cattle, Working Oxen, 
Jtf ilch Cows, Cattle Food, Diseases, etc. The arrangement, illustrations, an- 
alytical index, etc., of the work are in the best style of modern book-mak- 
ing.— iVijto-^wfl'^awi Farmer. 

The work is one that has been long needed, as it takes the place of the 
foreign books of like nature to which our farmers have been obliged to refer, 
and mrnishes in a compact and well-arranged volume all they desire upon this 
important subject.— JfaiTW Farmer. 

Whatever works the stock-farmer may already have, he can not afford to 
do without this.— Ohio Farmer. 

It is one of the best treatises within our knowledge, and contains infor- 
mation sound and sensible on every page.— I'Ae People, {Concord, N. H.) 

The object of the work, as stated by the author in his preface, " is not only 
to give a historical acccount of the Bovine race, to suggest to our farmers and 
cattle-breeders the best methods of their production and management, but to 
exalt and ennoble its pursuit to the dignity to which it is entitled in the vari- 
ous departments of American agriculture." From the little examination we 
have been able to give it, we can not recommend it too highly.— Ca/iacia 
Farmer. 

Considering that there are some ten million milch cows in the United 
States, and nearly a thousand million of dollars invested in cattle, the magni» 
tude of this interest demands that the best skilled talent be devoted to the 
improvement of the various breeds and the investigation of the best method 
of so caring for the animals as to gain the greatest profit from them. This 
Tolume will give the farmer just the instruction which he wants.— iV^. T. Inde^ 
pendent. 

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GARDENING FOR PROFIT 

In the Market and. Family GJ-arden- 

By Peteb Henderson. 

riNEiL.'sr ii:.IjXtstr-a.tei3. 

This is the first work on Market Gardening ever published m thig 
country. Its author is well known as a market gardener of twenty- 
years' successful experience. In this work he has recorded thia 
experience, and given, without reservation, the methods necessary 
to the profitable culture of the commercial or 

It is a work for which there has long been a demand^ and one 
which will commend itself, not only to those who grow yegetablea 
for sale, but to the cultivator of the 

FAMILY GASDEN, 

to whom it presents methods quite different from the old ones gen 
erally practiced. It is an original and purely American work, and 
not made up, as books on gardening too often are, by quotations 
from foreign authors. 

Every thing is made perfectly plain, and the subject treated in &11 
its details, from the selection of the soil to preparing the products 
for market. 

CONTENTS. 

Men fitted for the Business of Gardening. 
The Amount of Capital Beqviired, and 
"Working DPorco per Acre. 
Profits of Market Gardening. 
Ijooation, Situation, and Ijaying Out. 
Boils, Drainage, and Preparation. 
Manures, Implements. 
Uses and Management of Cold Frames. 
Formation and Management of Hot-beds. 
Forcing Pits or Green-houses. 
Seeds and Seed Baising. 
How, "When, and Where to Sow Beedo; 
Transplanting, Insects. 
Packing of Vegetables for Shipping. 
^Preservation of Vegetables in "Winter. 
Vegetables, their Varieties and Cultivation. 

In the last chapter, the most valuable kinds are described, and 
the culture proper to each is given in detail. 

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